Funded in part by the University of Florida, the Library Services and Technology Assistance granting program of Florida, the State Library and Archives of Florida, and other institutions and individuals.

Six members of Miami's Black
community, all known for their many
years of leadership in areas that in-
clude education, Black history, busi-
ness and the judicial system, were

honored last Saturday by the local
chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Frater-
nity, Inc.
Maurice C. Hurry, director of Beta
Beta Lambda's Education Commit-
tee, planned the Legends Luncheon
and said their goal was two-fold:
to raise funds for deserving Black

males and to salute the hard work
of men and women who have made a
real difference in their community's
lives.
"In our Knights of Gold program we
mentor over 25 boys, some of whom
are part of the foster care system,
and teach them life skills, etiquette
and illustrate more effective means
for conflict resolution," said Hurry,
46, an engineering graduate from
Please turn to ALPHAS 10A

School violence

down in M-D

County Schools

Three-year drop
attributed to prevention
program
By Jimmie Davis, Jr.
When parents send their chil-
dren off to school here in Miami-
Dade County, they expect them to
be in a learning environment that
is safe. And to promote and main-
tain the safety of both students
and staff, school administrators
have brought in law
enforcement

personnel to administer violence
prevention programs. The pro-
grams are intended to discourage
cantankerous youth from acts of
aggression such as bullying, fight-
ing and gang violence.
According to Charles J. Hur-
ley, Miami-Dade County Public
Schools (M-DCPS) chief of police,
for the last three years there has
been a steady decline in the number
Please turn to VIOLENCE 10A

CR0I

Shaw University closes

after tornado damages
Alums raising funds
for repairs and
students in need I
By D. Kevin McNeir ..
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com '~ "'

More than 240 tornadoes
were reported in a three-day
span beginning last Thurs-
day, with the majority being
sighted in Mississippi, Ala-
bama and North Carolina.
In fact, one "family" of 92
tornadoes killed at least 22
people and left 84,000 with-
out power in North Carolina
last Saturday.
The National Weather Ser-

The roof of the Willie E. Gary Student Center was also dam-
aged.
vice says that tornado activ- cording to CNN meteorolo-
ity has been heavier this year gists and so far 45 deaths
than in recent past. have been reported. With all
Twisters hit 12 states, ac- Please turn to SHAW 10A

By Jimmie Davis, Jr.
Miami Times writer

MISSING: Iv
dent Lauren
wife Simnne

Laurent Gbagbo, president of '.... v .
Cote d'Ivoire [Ivory Coast], and his were recently
wife Simone have been missing for known assail.
several weeks and their daughter, gle for pow
Marie Singleton, remains fearful
and uncertain as to her parents'
whereabouts and who it was that
actually took them into custody.
She isn't sure whether it's France, the United
Nations (U.N.) or rebel forces that are controlled
by her father's nemesis, Alassane Ouattara, who
claims he's the president of Cote d'Ivoire. But she
says she believes they are being held hostage by
armed rebels, because of the photographs her
family has received.
"My parents, siblings and our servants were ar-
t-,tt. on An il 1 1th n nndR C^^rlatnn el1*rin tiA*

vory Coast Presi-
it Gbagbo and his
e (pictured here),
y abducted by run-
ants as the strug-
ver of the African
nation continues

Publishers give Reeves Lifetime Achievement Award
The Miami Times Editor Emeritus Garth C. Reeves, Sr. is shown accepting the trophy for the
2010 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington D.C. last month.
The award was presented by the National Newspaper Publishers Association in observance of the
184th anniversary of the founding of America's first Black newspaper "Freedom Journal." Oth-
Sers shown are: Michael House of the Chicago Defender; U.S. Congresswoman Frederica Wilson;
Dorothy Leavell, chair of the NNPA foundation; and Danny J. Bakewell, Sr., NNPA president and
publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel.

EDMONSON BRADLEY

Edmonson

^ endorses Bradley

for county mayor
Commissioner and ministers
Work to get Blacks to the polls
By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com
Vice Chairwoman Audrey M. Edmonson
has officially joined Team Bradley the
S.group of volunteers who have rallied
* behind former transit director Roosevelt
S ; Bradley in his quest to become the next
SPlease turn to MAYOR 10A

New Bahamian

Consul General

takes over

Miami Times Staff Report

Installed into office
on Feb. 1st, the new
Florida Consul General
of the Bahamas, Rhoda
Jackson, quickly hit the
ground running.
Appointed by Baha-
mian Prime Minister
Hubert Ingraham, Jack- JACKSON
son previously served as the deputy chief
of mission/minister counselor with the
Bahamas Embassy in Washington, D.C.
And while learning the intricacies of a new
community and job at the same time may
intimidate some, Jackson finds the chal-
lenges exciting.
Please turn to CONSUL 6A

I

TUESDAY

86 o 730
SUNNY 8 90158 0 0

I

Daughter of Ivory Coast's

president visits Liberty City

Fears parents held as prisoners by rebels ,.,i

'a eo WEEKLY
* ,..r.omiM vORECAST
wwwmweather~com

890 760
MOSTLY SUNNY

89 750
SCATTERED T-STORMS

SUNDAY

860 730
SCATTERED T-STORMS

850 740
iSOLATED T-STORMS

MONDAY

860 740
PARTLY CLOUDY

860 750
PARTLY CLOUDY

es'

ge\ebr0 t
:OO0 0^.

OPINION

2A THE MIAMI TIMES, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2011

BLACKS .\lST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY

Tough love isn't easy but to

save our youth it's crucial
Progress is generally viewed as a good thing and we
normWally celebrate it with open arms. Medicine has
lengthened life spans and improved the quality there-
in. Communication allows us to speak to people around the
world and to get the news in seconds. Transportation and
technology from fast-speed rails to I-Pads and 4G networks
have also advanced to the point that the world has become
a very different place from just one generation ago. We have
become a true "global village."
But as we move faster multi-tasking at breakneck speed,
demand more information and live our lives in sound bytes,
some of our children have become casualties of this progress.
And they need adults to step up to the plate now.
Perhaps that's why loca 1 clergy, including Revs. Gaston
Smith and Carl Johnson, along with community activist
Georgia Ayers and the City of Miami Police Department have
joined forces to get guns out of the hands of youth and out
of those homes where young adults have already proven that
they are at-risk and prone to making poor decisions.
However, the ultimate test of this new initiative will be how
parents in the "hood" really respond. The sad truth is that far
too often, parents tend to remain in denial when it comes to
the transgressions of their beloved children. We know they
are up to no good. We see the evidence of the bling-bling they
bring home all while being categorically unemployed and
we look the other way. We sense that something is amiss. And
if you are praying folks, there is even spiritual confirmation
that tells parents "something is rotten" in Liberty City.
Now we must begin to own up to the fact that some of us
have not done a good job at parenting. The old folks used to
say you can't be both buddy and parent to your children.
They were wise to hold such a belief. How can we make de-
mands on our children when we try to beat them to the club
on Saturday, wear pants that sag more than our boys' jeans
or flaunt skirts so short that even our daughters make nega-
tive comments?
If we are truly willing to do what it takes to reclaim this
generation and our lost children, it will require tough love.
To do otherwise will just be making the roads to prison or the
cemetery that much shorter and sooner for our children.

Blacks are equal citizens -

we just don't act that way
M iami is a fascinating city with much fanfare be-
ing made over our international flavor, the mul-
tiple languages spoken and the diversity of races
and nationalities. But sometimes it feels like Blacks have
been given the undesirable position of the bottom of the
totem pole. Or maybe we just have grown accustomed to it.
Why do Blacks lead the way in the number of uninsured,
the number of unemployed, the number of those in prison,
the number of those most effected by HIV/AIDS, the num-
ber of homicide victims? Why is it that we cannot claim the
highest number of new businesses, the highest percentage
of high school students going to college, the highest me-
dian income, etc.?
Urban League executive director for Miami-Dade County
says that as far as job prospects are concerned, he believes
the future is bleak for Blacks that means things don't
look good! And he agrees with the League's recent report
that for us [Blacks] the recession is far from over.
So what are we to do? What can we do? Perhaps the
most immediate answer would be to recognize that we are
not in this dilemma alone and that even in our current
dismal state we can garner strength in numbers. We are
like-minded people who all want the same basic things.
When was the last time you contacted your city or county
commissioner or gave a call to your state representative or
senator? Do you even know who they are?
Someone in an office in Tallahassee, Miami City Hall or
Washington, D.C. is making decisions about our life, the
lives of our children, family and friends. And if they aren't
taking care of business, making moves that help us back
here in Overtown, Liberty City and Little Haiti, then we
have but one choice: To remove them from office.
The civil rights movement has long been over and access
to education and wealth for Blacks are at levels unheard
of 50 years ago. Yet, we still inhabit the bottom rung in
society.
There's an old saying about a dog that disliked the pain
from the nail on which he sat, but had become so accus-
tomed to it that he couldn't make himself get off and move
forward. It's time we got off the nail!

CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS
The Black Press believes that America can best lead the
world from racial and national antagonism when it accords to
every person, regardless of race, creed or color, his or her
human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person,
the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief
that all persons are hurt as long as anyone is held back.

Ap *A
Audit Bureau of Circulations

4 .sper

B BY DR. BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST

Blacks suffer most from environmental injustice ft

Forty-one years ago Earth
Day was established by the
global community and and
celebrated by hundreds of
millions of people through-
out the world on Friday, April
22nd. For Blacks and millions
of people of color, it was a day
celebration and rededication
to the struggle to free our
communities from the devas-
tating toxicity of environmen-
tal injustice. Going "green"
should not be reduced to a
popular fad or to something
that just sounds progressive
or cool.
This year's theme, A Bil-
lion Acts of Green, encour-
ages people everywhere to
take the time to do an act of
environmental service and
advocacy that will contrib-
ute to improving the quality
of life for all living things on
earth. With all the terrible cli-
matic changes and related se-
vere weather consequences of
global warming and environ-
mental damage to the world's
ecosystem, all people should
take at least one day a year to

assess how to make the world
a better and a more healthier
place to live.
A Black Earth Day should
be a day of solidarity with all
people, but in particular with
other people of color, who like
Blacks are disproportionately
exposed to life-threatening
pollutions and toxic hazards.
These dangerous problems
are local, statewide, regional,

cer and other sicknesses that
are directly related to harm-
ful exposure to environmen-
tal hazards in the air that we
breathe, as well as in the wa-
ter and food that we consume.
We must increase awareness
in our communities about the
importance of environmen-
tal concerns and issues. The
health of our communities is
impacted by the environment

Iam optimistic because the hip-hop community appears to
be more environmentally conscious as youth activists are
raising their voices in support of Earth Day activities.

national and international. In
Harlem, South Central Los
Angeles, Chicago's South-
side, Houston, Philadelphia,
Detroit, Cleveland, St. Lou-
is, New Orleans, and in just
about every other place in
America where we reside, we
find ourselves with dispropor-
tionately high rates of asthma
and other respiratory dis-
eases, multiple forms of can-

of our communities. Did you
know that many of the grow-
ing lists of so-called "learning
disabilities" that affect many
of our children may be envi-
ronmentally related to expo-
sures from lead poisoning and
other toxic substances laced
in many of our neighbor-
hoods? The overall quality of
life in the U.S. for Blacks can
be improved if we all become

more conscious and involved
with understanding the im-
portance of demanding and
adhering to environmental
justice.
There should be a sense of
urgency in 2011. With all the
budget cutbacks at the local,
state and federal levels, the
last thing that we need is for
Blacks to become more ex-
posed to environmental haz-
ards because of the lack of
funding or from the cutting of
budgets in the areas of pub-
lic health and environmental
protection.
I am optimistic because the
hip-hop community appears
to be more environmentally
conscious as youth activists
are raising their voices in sup-
port of Earth Day activities. In
the South Bronx, the birth-
place of hip-hop culture, one
of the most effective grass-
roots environmental groups
is named "Sustainable South
Bronx" led by young commu-
nity leader, Majora Carter. We
need more conscious and ac-
tive leadership like Carter.

BY ANTHONY HAWKINS, NNPA COLUMNIST

Are budget cuts weakening the Army and making us less safe?

After 10 years in Afghani-
stan and eight in Iraq, the U.S.
Army now boasts the most
battle-tested soldiers since
World War II. Yet, the Army
also faces a readiness crisis
more dangerous than any fire-
fight. A woeful reluctance on
the part of President Obama
and Congress to fund essential
Army programs now threat-
ens to fundamentally weaken
our ground forces even as the
Middle East destabilizes right
before our very eyes.
Defense Secretary Robert
Gates recently canceled the
Army's top modernization pro-
gram and has suggested force
reductions while Congress con-
tinues to take bites out of criti-
cal Army programs.
Certainly, Gates' calls for re-
form are right on the money:
the Army must stop spending
more than $3 billion each year
in programs that are eventu-
ally canceled. However, the
Army cannot finish the job in
Afghanistan or prepare for fu-

ture battles without bipartisan
support in Congress for filling
three essential funding needs.
First and foremost, the Army
needs a combat-ready wireless
network that is fast, mobile,
and secure. You might not be-
lieve it, but many teenagers are
more connected through their
smartphones and iPads than

(GCV) that will protect its oc-
cupants against threats like
roadside bombs, transport a
full infantry brigade and is
capable of engaging in peace-
keeping on one city block and
full-scale combat on the next.
For the last decade, soldiers
have relied on a motley mix of
mine-resistant troop-transport

seemingly consumed by our economic woes, Obama and
Congress are in danger of hollowing out our Army and
leaving us ill-prepared to address conflicts like the one
in Libya.

are U.S. soldiers on patrol in
Afghanistan. This is because
war zones don't support the
kind of expensive and vulner-
able telecommunications in-
frastructure cell towers and
signal amplifiers that make
it possible for us to search the
Internet while stuck in traffic.
Soldiers need this same capa-
bility during a firefight.
Second, our soldiers need
a new ground combat vehicle

vehicles that don't perform
well in combat and 1970's-era
tanks that are too heavy to
take on patrol. Efforts to build
a new GCV have faltered due to
debates about its requirements
and bureaucratic navel-gazing
over its operational utility. The
Pentagon should make deliver-
ing a new GCV to soldiers a top
priority and Congress should
allocate the funds necessary to
make it a reality.

Finally, soldiers at the pla-
toon level need more sophis-
ticated training to cope with
their new responsibilities in
today's conflicts. Afghanistan
and Iraq are becoming known
as the "captains' wars" for
the way victory or defeat has
depended on the quick deci-
sion-making of soldiers at the
company and platoon level.
Funding advanced cultural,
political, and language stud-
ies for the captains on the front
lines will ensure that they are
prepared to make effective,
ethical decisions in the heat of
battle.
Seemingly consumed by our
economic woes, Obama and
Congress are in danger of hol-
lowing out our Army and leav-
ing us ill-prepared to address
conflicts like the one in Libya.
There should be wide biparti-
san support for funding the es-
sential programs that will re-
build and strengthen an Army
already sharpened by a decade
at war.

BY JUDGE GREG MATHIS., NNPA COLUMNIST

Blacks caught in revolving door of prisons
If you, like me, believe tha hasn't changed much in a de- he of the state. to incarcerate th
prisons should be able to pun- cade and is a strong sign that What does? Investing in edu- route allows state
ish offenders while still prepar- prisons aren't doing the best job cation. Many, if not the major- who need it anc
ing them for a productive, crime they can to prepare offenders for ity, of prison inmates did not prison costs at th
free life once they are released, life outside of prison, graduate from high school. Critics would se
then you must also believe that States around the country are Catching students before they proach is soft on
prisons are failing. And, they're grappling with fiscal uncertainty fall through the cracks and re- is saying that cr:
not just failing: they are costing and are forced to cut programs during the number of dropouts not be punished.
the larger society billions of dol- beneficial to evei
lars that could be put to much if we punish then
better use. A annual prison spending has risen from $10 billion to To be fair, this
Annual prison spending has $52 billion during the last 30 years. Recent data from going to save mc
risen from $10 billion to $52 the Pew Center on the states shows that the additional The goal is to cre
billion during the last 30 years. is sustainable -
Recent data from the Pew Cen- money is clearly not going to prisoner rehabilitation efforts. bring huge return
ter on the states shows that the term. Reducing p
additional money is clearly not that serve the poor and elderly will, over time, reduce the pris- reducing incarc
going to prisoner rehabilitation in order to balance their bud- on population and save money. saves money sc
efforts. More than 40 percent gets. These tactics, however, do Sending low-level drug offenders don't have to cu
of inmates eventually return not take into consideration the to rehab instead of prison will Medicaid and Me
to prison, most of them within needs of the people, nor do they also help. It's less expensive to most vulnerable i
three years. The recidivism rate protect the long-term financial rehabilitate an addict than it is nities rely upon.

em. Going this
es to help those
d reduce their
he same time.
ay that this ap-
crime. No one
iminals should
It's just more
ryone involved,
i smartly.
strategy is not
>ney overnight.
ate a plan that
Sone that will
is over the long
prison costs by
:eration rates
Governments
it services like
dicare that the
in our commu-

The old saying "Why fix what
isn't broken? is applicable to
the current state legislative ef-
fort to change the method of
,electing the chairman and vice
chairman of the School Board
of Miami-Dade County from
being elected by fellow board
members at their annual orga-
nizational meeting, in an open
and transparent election, to be-
ing elected by the voters every
four years in a costly.county-
wide election beholden to spe-
cial interests' monies and in-
fluence. The existing method
has been in place for well over
70 years and has worked to the
benefit of taxpayers, parents,
teachers and students.
At times, the process has
been competitive but once it is
over, the school board mem-
bers have resumed their work
in a collegial manner to reach
consensus and unity on major
decisions such as ending seg-
regation; establishing the first
bilingual school program in the
nation; facing national emer-
gencies like the unexpected ar-
rival of thousands of refugees
and natural disasters like Hur-
ricane Andrew; leading the na-
tion in its efforts to breech the

achievement gap among our
students; and providing our
students the highest number
of academic opportunities and
specialized studies to succeed
in life. Very few, if any of these
achievements would have been
possible in Miami-Dade Coun-
ty, if, instead, we would have
had a highly-charged, divisive
political environment typical
of the countywide election pro-
cess currently being proposed
in Tallahassee.
If approved, this plan would
adversely affect citizen partici-
pation in the process by dilut-
ing minority representation
elected from districts; making
school board elections, district
and countywide, more costly;
preventing a number of quali-
fied candidates from running
because they do not have the
powerful support of special in-
terests groups that contribute
heavily in these races; and fi-
nally, by placing too much em-
phasis on fundraising, shifting
the focus of attention away from
the interests of students and of
local neighborhood groups.

Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall
Miami-Dade County School
Board Member

E BY ROGER CALDWELL

Governor still squirming at too days and counting

Without mentioning his ada- and pledged to work with other solve the prescription problem, was asked if he would sell his
mant opposition, Governor states to solve the problem. It Once you are an elected, of- interest or bar his company
Scott said last week that the is amazing when another entity ficial you are a team member from receiving state contracts
prescription/doctor database that is more powerful than you and you have to play by the and said, "As I've told you I'm
will be rolled out after be-, wants you to change your posi- rules. You can be a maverick not involved in that company."
ing held up by a lawsuit. Our tion, how willing one is to make on certain issues but when the A few weeks later Scott an-
governor is learning the art of concessions. coach and the majority of team nounced to the media that he
changing a position and giving There was no way that the members agree, you also have was interested in selling his
a cloudy answer for the reason. company.
Some call it a reassessment of It is obvious that after 100
a decision based on more rel- here is still some confusion when a governor is the days in office, our governor is
evant factual information but founder of a company and says he has sold his shares of starting to make concessions
others say he's yielding to pres- the company stock. Nevertheless, there was a conflict of and change his mind on certain
sure. decision and initiatives. Even
'^o . a.sure...b... i interest and Scott is trying to clean up his act. decision and initiatives. Even
"So while the database in though he was a successful
Florida is brought online, I will businessman, running a gov-
continue working with my leg- Governor would get up in front to agree. ernment is completely different
islative partners to find solu- of a federal government hear- It was also no accident that even though there are similari-
tions that protect patient priva- ing and tell them that he was Scott sold his healthcare com- ties. In any government, there
cy," Scott said. "Together, if we against a database in his state, pany, Solantic, this week. are millions of layers to the
hold the manufacturers, whole- when 98 out of 100 doctors who There is still some confusion bureaucracy and your job as
sales, doctors and pharmacies prescribe the most prescription when a governor is the founder a leader is to keep things run-
accountable, we can win this drugs are in Florida. It was no of a company and says he has ning smoothly.
fight." accident that the officials asked sold his shares of the company Flip-flopping is part of the
Scott was in Washington at a Scott to come to D.C. with his stock. Nevertheless, there was game. When you make a mis-
hearing before the U.S. House of plan on prescription drugs. The a conflict of interest and Scott take or find a better way, you
Representatives on the growing federal officials read the pa- is trying to clean up his act. make the change. Nobody is all
dangers of prescription drugs pers, watch the media and they His public position on the wrong or all right, but we all
during which time he embraced wanted to be sure that he was company has evolved in recent learn to compromise in poli-
the Drug Monitoring Program working with other states to weeks. On March 29th, Scott tics.

E BY QUEEN BROWN, COMMUNITY ACTIVISTr

Some candidates for mayor are really impostors

I recently attended a mayoral
debate for Miami-Dade Coun-
ty's special may elections. The
debate was held at the Interna-
tional Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers Union Hall and host-
ed by Democracy for America
Miami-Dade (DFAM). Although
the event was free and opened
to the public, the attendance
was sparse. Eight of the eleven
candidates that were invited at-
tended and participated in the
debate.
You can learn a lot by listen-
ing and watching other. My
grandmother, Roberta Smith,
who is now deceased, taught me
that. She loved watching televi-
sion with me and the rest of her
grandkids. Her favorites were
westerns and game shows I
could only stomach the game
shows. But I could have never
imagined the valuable lesson
I would learn from watching a
half hour game show with her
called To Tell the Truth. While I
was sitting observing the may-
oral debate a newfound insight
was gained and it was connect-
ed to that old game from the
1950s and 60s.
The show's format featured
three contestants who all
claimed to be the same person.
Only one of the contestants
was actually telling the truth;
the other two were impostors. A
panel of judges would ask each
contestant questions about
themselves or their occupation.
The objective was to convince
the panelists that they were
telling the truth and ultimately

win each panelist's vote. The
contestants, just like today's
candidates, went through great
lengths to win votes. On the
show the contestants would
sometimes wear uniforms and
carry props to look the part.
The impostors were so well pre-
pared they would sometimes
convince the panelists that they
were telling the truth. This is a
skill that many of our mayoral
candidates have as well. They
are skillful and persuasive
when seeking your vote.
Voters need to attend the
upcoming debates and be
prepared to ask some tough
questions. There are eleven
candidates running for Mi-
ami-Dade County mayor and
we need to know who is telling
the truth. If we were to ask the
right questions we will reveal
the imposters. We must not be
bamboozled by not addressing
the right issues and not asking
the difficult questions. As with
the panelists on To Tell the
Truth, we cannot.let the Ar-
mani suit .(Mayor's uniform),
an American flag pin for one's
lapel or a Miami-Dade County
broach persuade us to vote for
anyone. We know props when
we see them.
We have the opportunity to
say to the next mayor of Miami
Dade County, "Will the real
mayor of Miami-Dade County
please stand up?" Only we
can make sure that a quali-
fied candidate emerges from
the pack and elected to office
while we send the impostors

Yesterday was the 12th anniversary of the Columbine High School

shooting. Are students safe in Miami's schools today?

JESSIE WHITE, 27
Miami Beach, Waitress

These kids
are not safe.
It was so sad
what hap-
pened to those
kids and I
hope some-
thing that
tragic never
happens again.

JASMINE HALL
27, Liberty City, Student

The students
are safer than
before but the
entire system
needs work. S.
We have to
protect our
kids in school

because in many cases that is
the only place they will be pro-
tected.

BRENDA WILLIAMS
25, Liberty City, Graduate student

We still have
a lot of work

think they are
a lot safer in
schools than
they have
been in the
pass. At least
now the problem is being rec-
ognized.

ALEX COLE
24, Liberty City, Unemployed

Lets face it our schools need
work. At some schools in this
community it is like you are still

on the streets,
all kinds of
violence goes
on in these
schools. So
in short, no,
students are
not anymore
safe than they
were then.

CAROL NIECES
40, Midtown, Unemployed

They are not .
safer. I be-
lieve that the i
people need 3 y ,
to go back to -.
having prayer "- .'* -
in schools.
We need to go .*
back to God,
that is what
we need to go back to.

ALFREDA CARTER
26, Liberty City, Unemployed

The kids are
safe. Things
are getting
better and I
think it is be-
ginning with
the safety of
students and
teachers in
schools.

. I for one believe
that if you give people a thor-
ough understanding of what
confronts them and the basic
causes that produce it, they'll
create their own program, and
when the people create a pro-
gram, you get action .."
Malcolm X

home. 24th as if your life depended
Vote on Election Day May on it for some of us it does.

I o k .d1 c '

History shows Blacks can

prosper economically

Dear Editor,

Julianne Malveaux opined in
last week's edition about the on-
going hot button item on the pro-
verbial National Black Agenda.
That issue is the high unemploy-
ment rate among Blacks.
The fact that Black unemploy-
ment is still on a national agenda
means that there are a lot of dis-
cussions going on. No solutions,
just a lot of discussions. Now it's
time to move on an action plan to
resolve the issue.
The current economic condi-
tions are not new to Blacks. In
fact, Blacks living under Jim Crow
laws and stringent apartheid con-
ditions still found a way to create
pockets of prosperity in the early
20th century. Many of the great
Black entrepreneurs and inven-
tors came along during this time
in history. Let's look at Black eco-
nomic history. In the early 1920's,
Black folks in Tulsa, OK decided
to "handle their business." In a
short span of time, Blacks in and
around Tulsa created one of the
wealthiest communities in the

We have the

to make
Dear Editor,

Your April 13 editorial "What
happened to the activist men-
tality," hit home with me.
I've lived here for a long time
and can well remember the co-
hesiveness in the Black com-
munity that brought Blacks to
the level of society that they en-
joy today. Or am I wrong? Did
you just say that Blacks do not
enjoy their current situation? I
wonder why?
I'm an educator and I can
tell you that I am having a dif-
ficult time energizing my stu-
dents to get involved in making
a difference in their lives. Since
the school year began, we have
been following the political ups
and downs from Washington
D.C. to City Hall and I have
challenged them to go out and
make a change.
The struggle for civil rights
seems to be in the distant past
for many of them and the re-
cent change in Tallahassee and
Washington D.C. has not had
the desired effect for which I
had hoped. With the help of The
Miami Times, I have a plan to

U.S., rivaling that of whites. The
Tulsa formula for business and
job creation was very simple: Be-
lieve in yourself, invest in your-
self; believe in your community,
invest in your community.
This year, it is estimated that
Blacks will contribute some 1.3
billion consumer dollars to the
national economy. However, the
flip side of consumption is pro-
duction and to that end Blacks
will only contribute around three
percent the side of the equa-
tion that creates jobs. Just think
what would happen if 20 percent
of that. 1.3 billion dollars in con-
sumer spending were converted
to investment dollars. Knowing
that the money is already in the
collective Black community, one
question remains: Are Blacks
seriously interested in chopping
down the high Black employment
rate or is it just an item for more
discussions? The Tulsa formula
worked 90 years ago it will
work in 2011.

Richard Gibson
Miami Gardens

opportunity

a change
activate my students for the up-
coming special election in May
and get somebody into office
that will mean something to the
community: Black, white, His-
panic and any other group that
happens to call Miami-Dade
County home.
Back to the editorial you
raise important questions that
we all should be asking and if
we dbn't get answers, we should
show our displeasure in the vot-
ing booth.
I miss the rallies, the march-
es, the rhetoric and I even miss
the brothers in their suits and
bow-ties on the corner of NW
62nd Street and 7th Avenue
offering copies of "Muham-
mad Speaks." Those weren't
necessarily the good old days
but they did bring about some
change and that is what we as
a community need to build on.
Black people have the oppor-
tunity to make big change to
County government in May but
it will mean voting in unprec-
edented proportions.

C. M. Bozorth
Miami, FL

I

- r I-11-1 '"F A I W51

11 -.- --- - -, --l

BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY

4A THE MIAMI TIMES, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2011

Governor Scott and Florida

Legislature aren't getting along

Cool relations

could hinder his

agenda
By John Kennedy

TALLAHASSEE After a
governor's race marked by his
laser-like focus, Rick Scott has
instituted a dizzying series
of policy reversals that could
threaten the key promises that
powered him to the Governor's
Mansion.
With the legislature entering
its final three weeks, Scott's
pledge to cut regulations, shield
businesses from lawsuits and
enact almost $2 billion in tax
cuts, mostly for corporations
and property owners, hangs in
the balance.
And just when his skills at
schmoozing, cajoling and mus-
cling legislators need to be at
their peak, the governor's recent
uncertain political steps, com-
bined with his lousy poll num-
bers, appear to be damaging the
first-year executive.

MIXED SIGNALS
"He sends mixed signals to
Floridians and to the legis-
lature," said Sen. Mike Fasano,
R-New Port Richey, who has
served in the legislature under
four different governors. "His
unpredictability is hurting him.
And I think it's pretty clear that
few of us in the Senate are really
concerned any more about what
he wants us to do."
After narrowly winning elec-
tion last November over Demo-
crat Alex Sink, Scott picked
fights early with lawmakers, by
not consulting them before kill-
ing the $2.4 billion high-speed
rail project and selling the
state's two aircraft.
Now he has added a cloud of
uncertainty to the mix.
In recent weeks, Scott sent
shockwaves across the state by
ordering an immediate cut in
funding for the developmentally

elected office after a career as a
health-care executive. His push
to shrink government, cut tax-
es and create jobs played well
during a campaign in which he
spent more than $70 million of
his own money.
But as governor, the political
honeymoon has been short -
and not so sweet.

ROOKIE POLITICIAN
A Quinnipiac University poll
earlier this month showed
Scott's unfavorability rating
among Floridians has doubled
since February to 48 percent,
while only 35 percent approve of
his job performance.
With Scott's popularity in
question, lawmakers don't ap-
pear humbled by the power of
the office.
That's a departure from re-
cent first-year Florida gover-
nors. Lawmakers were wary of
going too far in bucking former
Govs. Jeb Bush and even Char-
lie Crist, who commanded an
approval rating of 70 percent
at this point in his first year as
governor.
Bush pushed his A-plus edu-
cation plan, including private-
school vouchers, school grad-
ing, and $1 billion in tax cuts
during his first spring as gov-
ernor.

HIS WAY
Crist spearheaded a proper-
ty-insurance special session
within weeks of becoming gov-
ernor and generally got what
he wanted from lawmakers his
rookie year.
Scott's difficulties are com-
pounded by playing in a new
political world, lawmakers said.
"I think he's trying to find
his way through a new world of
conflicting forces and interests,"
Gaetz said of Scott. "There isn't
just a group of shareholders
waiting for their annual report
at the end of the year, and their
dividends. There's a group of
legislators and interest groups
who get engaged throughout the

'- 'I.*
-, ,
". .-*

-Photo by European Pressphoto Agency
BP's $1 billion will help fund wildlife rehabilitation. Pic-
tured here, a brown pelican last summer in Louisiana.

BP jump-starts Gulf

repairs with $1 billion

By Tennille Tracy

BP PLC has agreed to pro-.
vide $1 billion to help restore.
wildlife and habitats in the
Gulf of Mexico as part of an
agreement with the U.S. and
Gulf Coast state govern-
ments, the Justice Depart-
ment said recently.
The agreement, which is be-
ing billed as the largest of its
kind, falls on the heels of the
one-year anniversary of the
explosion of the Deepwater
Horizon rig and the subse-
quent oil spill.
It also coincides with BP's
recently announced efforts to
sue Halliburton Co., Trans-
ocean Ltd. and Cameron In-
ternational Corp. for billions
in damages. All three compa-
nies were involved, in one way
or another, in the Deepwater
Horizon project.
recently, Transocean said
that it filed cross-dlaims
against BP and othei parties
in the oil spill.
In a separate effort, the
Justice Department is also
looking into possible civil and
criminal penalties against
BP, Justice Department
spokeswoman Jessica Smith
said.
The $1 billion agreement
that BP struck with the fed-
eral and state governments-

collectively known as the
Natural Resource Trustees
for the Deepwater Horizon oil
spill-doesn't release BP from
liability for any other natural
resource damages.
The money is to be taken
from a $20 billion fund that
BP set up last year to pay for
natural resource damages
and to compensate victims
of the spill, including restau-
rant and hotel owners who
lost business.
The trustees will use the
money to rebuild coastal
marshes and replenish dam-
aged beaches, among other
projects.
Under the Oil Pollution Act,
federal and state govern-
ment can assess injuries for
natural resource damages,
The are now doing that for
the Gulf spill. Once they as-
sess the dollar value of those
damages, the trustees will
take into account any gains
made by these early restora-
tion projects, Smith said.
"This milestone agreement
will allow us to jump-start
restoration projects that will
bring Gulf Coast marshes,
wetlands, and wildlife habitat
back to health after the dam-
age they suffered as a result
of the Deepwater Horizon
spill," Interior Secretary Ken
Salazar said in a statement.

disabled, only to reverse himself
last week. He vowed not to sue
to recoup tax-money lost to the
BP oil spill, only to ease back
on that pledge days later. And
he sought to repeal a prescrip-
tion drug database from the
beginning of the legislative ses-
sion until one of his department
heads OK'd a contract less than
two weeks ago; then last week
he testified before Congress
in support of the state's effort
without mentioning his previous
opposition.

TEA PARTY?
"Anytime you feint right and
go left, there are those who are
going to say he didn't have his
legs under him," said Sen. Don
Gaetz, R-Niceville. "But it's pret-
ty clear, he's trying to find his
way through a bramble he is not
used to."
Scott also may be banking on
intimidating Republican legisla-
tive leaders into falling in line
behind his policies with a show
of strength from tea party activ-
ists, far removed from Florida's
Capitol.
Over the weekend, the gover-
nor appeared at two tea party
rallies and in his weekly ra-
dio address recently said he
wouldn't sign a state budget

that didn't include tax cuts and
called on the public to urge lawr
makers to "make the right deci-
sion."
Neither the House nor Sen-
ate has included Scott's tax
cuts in its budget proposal.
But each side has slashed pub-
lic schools by $1 billion, hiked
tuition and public pension con-
tributions, and dramatically re-
duced spending on health and
social programs, environmental
spending and government over-
sight.

$3.8 BILLION SHORTFALL
Scott's demand for new tax
cuts probably would force deep-
er cuts to classrooms and health
programs the areas that ab-
sorb most state spending.
But even after Scott issued his
threat, Senate budget chairman
J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales,
said the governor's tax cuts
remain "down the list," as law-
makers struggle to craft a bud-
get that first covers a projected
$3.8 billion shortfall.
Republicans hold veto-proof
majorities in the legislature,
meaning they could try to over-
ride Scott on any legislation he
vetoes including the entire
state budget.
Scott is serving in his first

Could U.S. default on its debt? CDC predicts smoking

Not likely, but

Standard & Poor's

lowers its outlook
By John Waggoner

Standard & Poor's warned re-
cently that United States' cov-
eted AAA credit rating could
fall if legislators don't take ac-
tion on the nation's $9.7 trillion
debt.
The Dow Jones industrial
average plunged after S&P's
rating update. Gold soared to
nearly $1,500 an ounce. The
market for Treasury debt re-
mained relatively sedate, but
the cost of insuring against
U.S. default rose sharply.
No one S&P included is
forecasting that the U.S. will
shirk paying its obligations,
and few think that the nation's
status as the world's reserve
currency will go away any time
soon.
"This is S&P's way of raising
the yellow flag," says Tad Riv-
elle, chief investment officer for
fixed income at TCW. "U.S. fi-
nances have been going down-
hill pretty rapidly."
S&P didn't downgrade the
nation's AAA credit rating,
the highest possible. It simply
warned that a downgrade is
possible if the USA doesn't start
to get its house in order.
If such a downgrade were to
occur, "Long-term interest rates
go up, the cost of capital goes
up, and economic growth goes

"r-.. .
'-- w i
.! . . . t
-.JwBwc -'0 i
^ aa*'

4;~~':

-By Karen Bleier, AFP/Getty Images
The statue of Alexander Hamilton, first secretary of the Trea-
sury, in front of the U.S. Treasury Department building in Wash-

ington, D.C.
down," says Gary Kaltbaum,
president of Kaltbaum Capital
Management. "In order to pay
back all this debt, all this mon-
ey to pay it back will come out
of the economy and slow eco-
nomic growth over time."
Even without a downgrade,
the stock market reacted
strongly. The Dow Jones in-
dustrials plunged almost 250
points, or two percent, initially.
But buyers waded back into the
market later in the session. The
Dow closed down 140 points, or
1.1 percent, at 12,202, as trad-
ers realized that a full-fledged
downgrade wasn't imminent.
In the credit default market,
the cost of insuring against

Treasury default rose to 0.5
percentage points over the Lon-
don Interbank Offered Rate,
an international short-term
lending rate, from 0.4 percent-
age points. "That's a big move,"
says TCW's Rivelle.
The price of gold, which typi-
cally rallies when there's bad
news for the U.S. dollar, rose $7
an ounce to $1,492.30. And the
mat-ket for Treasury securities
rallied. The yield on the bell-
wether 10-year Treasury note
fell to 3.38 percent from 3.41
percent.
"The threat of a downgrade
will help get things done," says
Maury Harris, economist for in-
vestment bank UBS.

TThe U.S. has $9.7 trillion out-
standing in Treasury securi-
ties, called public debt, which is
how much the U.S. legally owes
its creditors. If the nation didn't
make timely interest and prin-
cipal payments on these securi-
ties, it would be in default. The
.public debt equals about 63
percent.of gross domestic prod-
uct, lower than Germany's and
Japan's.
The nation also has $4.6 tril-
lion in intergovernmental debt,
mainly representing the Social
Security and Medicare trust
funds. It's money that has been
promised to be paid out over
many years to Social Secu-
rity and Medicare recipients,
among others. Those outlays
can be changed by Congress;
the terms of the public debt
can't be, without a default.
The nation's financial state
has changed significantly the
past two years, driven by the
financial crisis .and the worst
recession since the Depression.
In a recession, tax revenue falls
off because fewer people are
employed, and businesses have
lower profits.
Outlays, particularly in the
form of unemployment ben-
efits, increase. The federal
deficit ballooned to $1.4 tril-
lion for fiscal year 2009, the
last budget signed by President
Bush. That's about nine per-
cent of GDP in 2009. The deficit
has remained stubbornly high
since. The Congressional Bud-
get Office estimates that the
2011 deficit will be $1.4 trillion.

Long shot spices up Republican Party contest

By Neil King Jr.

Former New Mexico Gov. Gary
Johnson-mnarathoner, extreme
skier and proponent of legalized
marijuana-is jumping into the
2012 Republican presidential
race, adding variety to What al-
ready promises to be a crowded
field.
The two-term governor, who

left office nine years ago after
proudly vetoing 750 pieces of leg-
islation, promises to run a long-
shot campaign heavy on libertar-
ian themes of limited government
and personal freedom.
He announced his run outside
the New Hampshire Statehouse
in Concord, saying he planned
to go all-in on the Granite State,
which holds the nation's first pri-

mary next February and tends
to be friendly terrain for center-
leaning conservatives.
"I'm going to spend a lot of time
in New Hampshire, where you
can go from obscurity to national
prominence overnight with a good
showing," Johnson told a small
clutch of supporters recently.
Johnson's entry is further evi-
dence of how wide open the 2012

GOP nomination race remains
less than 10 months before the
Iowa caucuses.
With a half-dozen contenders
now officially moving toward a
2012 campaign, no Republican is
regularly garnering even 25 per-
cent in national polls, in contrast
to past GOP battles that have
usually featured a clear front-
runner.

ban in every state by 2020

By Pam Cunningham

More than half the states
have laws about banning
smoking at work, in restau-
rants and in bars.
The Centers for Disease Con-
trol predicts the rest of them
are likely to follow suit.
Jim Bailey from Cumber-
land, Rhode Island doesn't go
anywhere without his ciga-
rettes and remembers, a time
when he could use them any-
where. "I never thought much
about it. You could smoke any-
where you wanted stores, res-
taurants, anywhere," said Bai-
ley. But since 2000 that has
changed. "It's upsetting some-

times but you got to follow the
rules whether I think they are
right or wrong," said Bailey.
At the Pagoda the no smok-
ing signs are up because it's
an historic building, but you
also can't smoke on the ten
acres surrounding'it .because
the city owns them.
"I would say about 6 years
ago the city adopted an ordi-
nance that prohibited smoking
in any of the parks and play-
grounds and recreation areas
including here at the Pagoda,"
said Marcia Goodman-Hin-
nershitz, Director of Planning
and Resource Development
at the Council on Chemical
Abuse.

outlets
CINCINNATI (AP) Macy's
Inc., which runs its name-
sake and Bloomingdale's
stores, plans to open three new
Bloomingdale's outlets in the
fall.
The retailer, which now has
four Bloomingdale's outlets,
said Monday that the new
stores will be in shopping cen-
ters in Estero, Fla.; Wrentham,
Mass.; and Schaumburg, Ill.
The Florida outlet is set to open
in September. The other two
are scheduled for October.
"We continue to see opportu-
nity for growth, and these three
new locations will help us to
extend the geographic reach of
Bloomingdale's outlets and in-
troduce the concept to new cus-
tomers," Bloomingdale's Chair-
man and CEO Michael Gould
said in a statement.
Macy's said it is considering
opening more Bloomingdale's
outlets.
The existing Bloomingdale's
outlets, which opened last fall,
are in Paramus, N.J.; Miami;
Woodbridge, Va.; and Sunrise,
Fla. The outlets offer clothing
and accessories.
Macy's, which has corporate
offices in New York and Cincin-
nati, runs about 850 depart-
ment stores.

Macy's breaks

ground on new

internet sales

fulfillment center
By Nesli Karakus

Macy's Inc. broke ground last
week on a new fulfillment center
in Martinsburg, WV, to keep up
with web sales growth. Online
sales for Macy's, which operates
e-commerce sites Macys.com
and Bloomingdales.com, climbed
29 percent in the first 10 months
of 2010, the company says.
The West Virginia center will
handle web orders for customers
in the Northeast and Mid-Atlan-
tic, the company says.
The facility, scheduled to open
in summer 2012, is expected to
employ about 1,200 full- and
part-time workers and 700 sea-
sonal workers in Berkeley Coun-
ty.
"Macy's is investing more than
$150 million in building this
world-class fulfillment center,"
says Peter Longo, president, lo-
gistics and operations, at Macy's,
No. 20 in the Internet Retailer
Top 500 Guide.

All licensed
cosmetologists
and barbers
The Florida Council of
National Beauty Culturist
League (NBCL) is seeking
new members. Link up with
us to gain a higher education
and valuable information re-
lating to the world of beauty
culture on a national level.
In addition to establishing a
membership and maintain-
ing an active status with
NBCL, you also have the op-
portunity to join the Theta
Mu Sigma Chapter.
Please join us 11 a.m. on
Monday, May 2 for a sorority
luncheon in honor of Found-
ers Day for the Theta Nu Sig-
ma Sorority, $20 per person
at Calder Casino, 21001 NW
27 Avenue, Miami Gardens.

designed to show the world
new superstars in the emerg-
ing fashion industry. From
extravagant runway shows
to luxurious parties, FDE
Florida attracts the attention
of thousands of fashionistas
worldwide.
FDE's passion for impacting
the world is driven through
their core element, "Let the

Runway Meet the Cause"
(LRMC) Campaign. LRMC was
created to bridge the cutting
edge and trendsetting fash-
ion industry with the powerful.
impact of top non-profit orga-
nizations to impact the world
and bring dreams to reality.
Founders of Fashion Design-
ers Expo have raised thou-
sands of dollars since 2007

for various philanthropies in
the Miami and surrounding
areas.
Alonzo Mourning's OYC will
be the primary beneficiary for
FDE's Let the Runway Meet
the Cause 2011 Campaign.
LRMC's fundraising efforts
aims to support the educa-
tional and recreational pro-
grams that were created to

give the disadvantaged youth
of Overtown a better quality
of life. "Bringing dreams to re-
ality is our sole purpose; this
means the dreams of everyone
we come in contact with and
even those we'll never meet,"
said FDE Florida CEO Karine
Melissa.
Royce Reed from Basket-
ball Wives host the kick-off

to FDE's runway' shows on
Thursday, April 28 along with
an exclusive book signing of
her newly released College
Girls for FDE guests. Miami
Dolphins Nolan Carroll will
also make an appearance on
the runways each night. For
more information about FDE,
go to www.fashiondesigner-
sexpo.com.

a.51

"N

"~ r***. >

FIND MACY'S EVERYWHERE!

the mogic of

S Shop, share and connect anytime.

K 7 Shop, share and connect anytime.

MOTHER'S DAY SALE PRICES IN EFFECT NOW THROUGH 5/8/11, UNLESS NOTED.
"Go Red For Women', Futures Without Violence formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund, Make-A-Wish Foundation", the National Park Foundation or Reading Is Fundamental.
S GIVE THE GIFT OF CHOICE... A Macys Gift Card is easy for you and it's the perfect choice for anyone!
Ask your Sales Associate or order by phone: 1-800-45-MACYS. Terms and conditions apply to Gift Cards. Details in store.

For more information,
please call Bettie Anderson
at 305-625-6744. Please
RSVP no later than April 28.
See you there!

su/`\\*

C;--." c)
~U~

~sla~c

r
i.
T
rCr
4r

BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY

6A THE MIAMI TIMES, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2011

EIU PRIS()N

Always put your trust in the Lord

By Arthur Lee Hall, Jr.

Whichever category
you fall in: Muslim, Jew,
or Christian is your pre-
rogative. My personal
approach towards reli-
gion is rather diplomatic
with a general under- H
standing and respect for all.
While I am never one to'knock
another man's faith, I hope to
never have to face any criticism
for mine either. Part of my be-
lief is that you could have con-
fidence in a friend and respect
for a brother, but whatever you
do, always make sure that you
put your complete trust in the
Lord.
Offense not intended, but
when I declare the name of
'the Lord, that's just my way of
making reference to a higher
power. Regardless of how that
reference is made, indeed a liv-
ing spirit is traveling inside the
bodies of each and everyone
of us on this mysterious jour-
ney through life. Undoubtedly,

there is an unseen force
that you could sense is
guiding your feet in a
certain direction, to-
wards a specific destiny.
Names and titles aren't
so important -- just
know that the weight of
ALL the world and how it is
measured out upon your shoul-
ders is according to the will of
that supreme spirit dwelling
within you.
One of my greatest proclivi-
ties is the terrible habit of being
overly-concerned about mat-
ters that are beyond my power
of directing. For some reason,
excessive worrying and the
feeling of being in a semi-state
of panic is psychologically re-
assuring to me although it has
been proven that no amount of
worrying is going to change the
transpiring of events. The diffi-
culty I have in relaxing and let-
ting go can be attributed to the
false security found in believ-
ing that if I think more about
the matter, my chances of suc-

cess or gaining favorable re-
sults will increase. To turn my
attention away from a situation
while having no anticipatory
concern about what is to come,
is a discipline that I have yet to
achieve with perfection.
Recently, I found myself fixat-
ed with the idea of ascertaining
a very important piece of infor-
mation sooner than I was ex-
pecting to. The urge to pick up
the telephone and commence to
waste valuable minutes on one
of those $1.82 pre-paid calls
was strong all because of the
complications that I was expe-
rience with dealing with an un-
necessary stressful situation.
Later on that day, somehow
the circumstances surrounding
my anxiety made its way into a
conversation that I was having
with one of my acquaintances.
After venting out the details of
this so-called dilemma, a con-
ferring spirit suddenly began to
speak to me through the mouth
of this acquaintance, declaring
that I should lay my burdens

GAFFNEY, S.C. (AP) A
28-year-old Cherokee County
man who sold $10 worth of
crack to an undercover infor-
mant has been sentenced to
life in prison without parole
under the state's repeat of-
fender law.
Prosecutors say James R.
Byers Jr. was sentenced re-
cently after he was convicted
of third offense distribution of

crack cocaine and distribu-
tion of crack cocaine within a
half mile of a school or park.
Byers' prior criminal record
includes five drug convic-
tions.
Prosecutors say Byers' sold
the crack to an informant in
August 2009 near an elemen-
tary school. Cherokee County
sheriff's deputies videotaped
the transaction.

Uganda's top leader arrested for the fourth time

By Jason Straziuso
Associated Press

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) Po-
lice fired tear gas and rubber
bullets recently to disperse a
growing crowd walking toward
the capital's city center and ar-
rested Uganda's top opposition
politician for the fourth time in
only two weeks.
Kizza Besigye's car was sur-
rounded by hundreds of chant-
ing supporters wheri riot police
moved in. Besigye has staged four
"walks to work" to protest higher
food and fuel prices in Uganda,
demonstrations that have spread
around the country. He says the
walks are to put the spotlight on
alleged corruption in President
Yoweri Museveni's government.
In Besigye's previous march-
es, he began near his home on
Kampala's outskirts and walked
toward the city. On Thursday,
village women asked him not to
walk because of violence and ar-
rests that follow the marches.
So Besigye instead drove toward
Kampala, attracting masses of
people. An AP photographer near
Besigye's vehicle said the opposi-
tion leader was arrested as soon
as he tried to get out to start
walking.
The walk to work campaign has
seen Besigye's popularity grow
only two months after he came
in second in the presidential
election. Official returns showed
Museveni with about 68 percent
of the vote and Besigye with 26
percent. Besigye says the results
were falsified but declined to file
an official appeal after losing ap-

;Nx"

.V W .
:6t -.' .t.

-1 "1 .*

-Photo by Marc Hofer/AFP/Getty Image
Ugandan police confront Kizza Besigye (center) moments be
fore he was arrested on a new 'walk to work' protest.

peals at the Supreme Court in
two previous elections.
Vincent Sekate, a police
spokesman, said the marches
create a public hazard and that's
why Besigye has been arrested.
Looting and other acts of violence
have accompanied or followed
previous marches, and Sekate
said Besigye and the walk to
work campaign have not coordi-
nated their protests with authori-
ties. Tear gas has been used to
disperse large, unruly crowds,
Sekate said.
"We don't want to' go to con-
frontation, but we have a duty
in our constitution. We have a
duty to protect every Ugandan.
We have a duty to protect life and
property and also to preserve law
and order," Sekate said.
During a protest march on
Monday Besigye was shot by

what he believes was a rubbe
bullet in his right hand, fracture
ing a finger.
Besigye, in an interview\
Wednesday, said the march
have gained so much attention
because Ugandans are suffering
He said Museveni's government
is "terrified of its citizens," an
that is why he has been arrested
"The greatest majority of ou
people are completely marginal
ized. They can hardly afford
meal a day. They cannot afford
accommodation, those who ar
in towns. They have no access to
health care. The health care sys
tem is completely broken down
Young people cannot hope to
get a job at all, and so there i
a state of hopelessness that ha
engulfed our people," he told Th
Associated Press.
' Food and fuel prices hav

Connect U.S. businesses with Bahamian interests

CONSUL
continued from 1A

"This particular post I find
interesting because it deals
with people," she explained.
Heading a staff of 15 people
in the Office of the Bahamas
Consulate General in Flori-
da, she juggles various tasks
each day from authentication
of legal documents for use in
or outside the Bahamas; issu-
ance of Visas for persons re-
quiring visas to travel to the
Bahamas; and assistance to
Bahamians who are in need
of travel documents or in dis-
tress.
In addition, Jackson, 51,
spends much of her time
promoting the Bahamas to

American interests in order
to develop trade. The top two
industries in the Bahamas
are the financial sector and
tourism, respectively. Yet
many people are less aware
of the business opportunities
in the Bahamas, which is the
21st trading partner with the
U.S. It's a misconception that
Jackson hopes to change.
"What we're trying to do is
not only sell the country of
the Bahamas as a fun beach
but we're also trying to de-
velop trade with the U.S.," she
said.
Another one of her func-
tions is to share relevant in-
formation to the Bahamian
diaspora. She oversees an
area that includes Florida as

well as Louisiana, Mississip-
pi, Arizona, New Mexico, Col-
orado and Utah. Sometimes
the calls about scholarships
for school other times fel-
low Bahamians want to know
how to start a business or
get financial support for new
ideas.
"I really am trying to reach
out to my Bahamians in
South Florida," she said. "One
of the things that I would like
to encourage people to do is
contact the Embassy [and]
send us an e-mail and let us
know that they are out there."
For those interested in con-
tacting the Office of the Ba-
hamas Consulate General in
Florida, e-mail Jackson at bc-
gmia@bellsouth.net.

-spiked in Uganda over the last
several months, one of the rea-
sons for discontent. The price
of maize in Uganda has risen
114 percent over the last year,
according to the World Bank.
That's the highest year-over-year
increase in the world. Gasoline
and meat prices are also soaring.
Museveni last weekend con-
Sdemned Besigye for the pro-
tests, saying that the walks
would not bring down food or
fuel prices.
Besigye said the walks "shine
. a torch" on Uganda's problems,
including what he called chron-
ic and gross mismanagement of
as taxpayer funds. He noted par-
-liament's recent approval of a
roughly $750 million acquisi-
tion of six fighter jets but said
r the government doesn't have
any food or fuel reserves to tap
into during periods of crisis.
v He said most Ugandan farmers
s have only hand hoes.

n
1.
t

r
1-
a
d
e
o
3-
2.

s
s
e

e

RAI Iei

down and "put my trust in the
Lord."
Relief from my severe mental
exertion came instantaneously.
Laying that burden down and
putting my trust in the Lord
made it possible for me to give
that telephone call that I was
going to make a rain check.
Avoiding the mental strain
associated with the personal is-
sues that we consider important
and entrusting those issues to
a power much higher than our-
selves is a' discipline that we all
should seek to achieve.
Equally important is the
avoidance of the back stabbers:
those who try to win your trust
with deceitful smiles on their
faces, only to turn around and
stab you in the back.
But of course, although it's
certainly not a game -- win-
ning your total trust should be
a victory for the Lord, which as
a result would allow you to ex-
perience the inner peace and
tranquility of a serene heart
and mind.

JEL JEL w I

MAN ACCUSED OF COLLECTING RENT ON SOMEONE ELSE'S HOME
A South Florida man was arrested after being accused of collecting
rent on a foreclosed home he did not own.
Miami-Dade police said John Patrick Ingar, 44, of Miami, posed as a
real estate and rental agent for a home in the Hammocks area that was
in the foreclosure process.
According to police, without the owner's knowledge, Ingar found some-
one to rent the home for a year.That person paid Ingar a security deposit
and rent totaling $3,300, according to police.
Ingar was arrested recently on charges of grand theft and unlicensed
real estate practice.
Police believe there might be other victims in Miami-Dade County. Any-
one who believes they may have been victimized is asked to call Detec-
tives Gloria Averhoff or Ana Jorge, of the Economic Crimes Bureau, at
305-994-1000.

SC man gets life sentence for $10 crack deal

James Byers Jr. sold drugs to informant

--W~
-^~

MAN WHO GOUGED OUT EYES IN JAIL GIVEN 25 YEARS
A South Florida man who gouged out his and his wife's eyes has been
sentenced to 25 years in prison.
According to court records, 50-year-old Eugene Roman was arrested
and charged with three counts of battery and false imprisonment six
years ago for allegedly assaulting his wife in 2005. He was found guilty
and sentenced to 364 days in jail. It was during this time he gouged out
his eyes. Roman was released early when his wife agreed to take him
back.
In May 2006, he reportedly attacked his wife and gouged out her eyes
after she refused his sexual advances. He was arrested and charged
with aggravated battery and kidnapping. Roman's estranged wife was
left blind in her right eye and partially blind in her.left.
During a recent sentencing hearing Roman pleaded guilty to the charg-
es and accepted responsibility for the attack.
Roman has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression.

MIAMI POLICE LOOKING FOR FAMILY DOLLAR ROBBERS
Masked gunmen struck a Family Dollar store in Miami for the third
time in the past 16 months. Surveillance tape from the store on NW 36th
Street and 10th Avenue shows the gunmen entering the store on April
7 and waving their guns at store employees and witnesses. The tape
shows at least one child running in fear down an aisle to hide from the
gunmen.
It's not known if the criminals had any connection to the previous two
robberies at the.same store last year.
If you have any information about the Family Dollar robbery, police ask
you call the Miami Police Department's Robbery Unit at 305-603-6370 or
Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

WOMAN-CHARGED IN $3.4 MILLION PONZI SCHEME
A South Florida woman who reportedly preyed on members of her
church to fund a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme has been arrested.
The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office has charged 38-year-old Mar-
guerite Martial Jean with securities fraud, grand theft and organized
scheme to defraud.
Investigators said from 2007 through October 2010, Jean used her
companies MMJ's Warehouse and VLM Enterprise as the core of her
scam. She allegedly promoted investment offerings to members of her
church and made promises to pay investors as much as 22 percent inter-
est.
Jean reportedly told investors she bought and sold rice from India and
used the profits from the resale to make payments to investors. A bank
analysis however revealed that investor funds went to Jean's personal
account, which she subsequently used to pay older investors and finance
her lifestyle.
Investigators said Jean defrauded $3.4 million from nearly 300 Hai-
tian-Americans before she was caught.

7A THE MIAMI TIMES, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2011

BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY

Edmonson, residents help clean up their community

Special to the Miami Times

Vice Chairwoman Audrey
M. Edmonson and her staff
worked to keep District 3
green during Baynanza 2011
on Sunday, April 17th. She
visited Pelican Harbor, Morn-
ingside Park and Legion Park
to pick up trash and preserve
the environment.
Baynanza is a fun-filled,
six-week-long extravaganza
that celebrates one of our
most precious natural re-
sources, Biscayne Bay, and
its surroundings. While Bay-
nanza includes approximate-
ly 35 great events through-
out March and April, the
event that has become nearly
synonymous with this cel-

ebration is the Biscayne Bay
Cleanup Day. This year drew
more than 7,500 volunteers
out to the shores and islands
of the bay.
"Every year, my staff and
I- join thousands of volun-
teers to do our part to keep
Miami-Dade looking beauti-
ful for generations to come,"
Edmonson said.

-NEW SHUTTLE SERVICE
COMES TO DISTRICT 3
Edmonson also helped
launch a new shuttle service
for her district that will take
art fans and shoppers to gal-
leries, stores and restaurants
on Miami Art Walk and Gal-
lery Nights held each second
Saturday of the month in the

three neighborhoods, all lo-
cated in the Vice Chairwom-
an's District 3.

Commissioner Audrey M.
Edmonson (right) helped Su-
sana Baker of the Design Dis-
trict, Midtown and Wynwood
Experience cut the ribbon on
a new Wynwood-Midtown-De-
sign District shuttle service at
a kick-off ceremony. The event
was held April 9th at the EVL
World Studio of artist Ernie
Vales, 2345 NW 2 Avenue, in
Wynwood.

IrLVEFA1

,. ,
.-- ,, ,
-----------1--E

.901 R r~i

'-
i-
r
iQ,
r
"'

~aga I

-,

-Photos courtesy of Vice Chairwoman Edmonson's office

./ A t f i @ r. ,,, a^^ as .".-,^
Commissioner Jordan has fun with Home Depot kids

Commissioners lead Earth Day events

Special to the Miami Times

County Commissioner Jean
Monestime, District 2, cele-
brated Earth Day by cleaning
up several areas and planting
trees in his district. The com-
missioner and volunteers be-
gan their clean up efforts at
Gratigny Plateau Park, 885 NW
117th Street, on Friday, April
22nd. They then moved on to
Lakeview Elementary, 1290 NW
115th Street, to pick up trash

around the school grounds.
Contractors for Public Works
planted trees on NW 10th and
12th Avenues from NW 103rd
to 119th Streets throughout the
morning.
County Commissioner Bar-
bara J. Jordan hosted District
l's first Eco-Fair on Saturday,
April 23rd at the Home Depot,
5500 NW 167th Street. Resi-
dents learned how to save ener-
gy, money and the planet with
help from Miami-Dade County,

Home Depot, Florida Power
& Light, South Florida Water
Management District and The
Big Blue Foundation. There
were several tents that focused
on children with educational
activities, a bounce house and
giveaways. Residents were also
able to exchange their old light
bulbs for energy-saving com-
pact fluorescent light bulbs
and exchange water-wasting
shower heads for water efficient
models for free.

Southridge Park gets needed facelift
Special to the Miami Times 1

County Commissioner Den-
nis C. Moss, County Parks and
Recreation staff members and
hundreds of residents and sup-
porters gathered at Southridge
Park, 19598 SW 112th Avenue in
South Miami-Dade for the grand
opening ceremony and field day
at the new community stadium
facility. The event showcased
the upgrades of Southridge Park
in District 9. The informal cer-
emony included a series of youth
relay races including "The Com-
missioner Moss 100 Yard Relay."
The new park stadium project
includes: a 5,232 square-foot
field building with ticket coun-
ters, a concession area and rest-
rooms; bleacher seating for 1,512
sports fans; a lighted parking
area with connecting walkways;
and a perimeter fence. Addition-
ally, a new electronic scoreboard
with video display and a public
address system were all major
features of the improvements
completed in conjunction with
the second phase of develop-
ment of the community stadium
project. The 16-acre commu-
nity park also features a lighted
baseball field; a lighted football/
soccer field and a running track.
The total cost for Phase II of the

project was $3,632,000 and was
made possible with funds from
the Building Better Communi-
ties Bond Program (GOB), Safe
Neighborhood Parks Bond Pro-
gram (SNP), the Quality Neigh-
borhood Improvement Program
(QNIP) and Park Impact Fees.
Southridge's Park Stadium
project in District 9 is one of
several projects included in The
Moss Plan, originally referred to
as "South Dade Neighborhood
Development Concept Plans."
"Today we are realizing a part
of a longstandingg] promise . .
and are proud and pleased to

have a complete stadium where
we can enjoy the fine football
games and teams in this com-
munity," Moss said. "The New
Stadium Park came out of a de-
sign to put a public stadium in
this region because the only local
stadiums available were the ones
located at Harris Field in Home-
stead or at Tropical Park [with]
nothing in between the two. At
the request of the community,
through The Moss Plan, we want-
ed to make sure there was a sta-
dium in this region that would
serve the schools, the children
and the community in this area."

GOP pushes for cut in early voting period

Miami Times Staff Report

With Florida being a crucial
state in the 2012 presidential
election,- the state legislature
is seeking to overhaul election
laws in ways critics believe
would benefit the Republican
Party and maintain its domi-
nance. The Senate is pushing
a bill to cut the early voting
period by half, which would
make it harder for grassroots
groups to register voters and
require people to vote provi-
sionally if they moved since
the last time they voted. Elec-
tions supervisors say a change
like this would affect college
students the most. The bill, SB

2086, passed the Republican-
controlled Rules Committee
last week saying the goal is to
create more convenient and
less expensive voting machin-
ery.
With President Barack
Obama needing Florida's 29
electoral votes to win a sec-
ond term, skeptics say the
GOP-dominated legislature
is showing it has more than
a passing interest in how the
next election is run. All 160
legislative seats will also be
up for grabs in 2012 because
of reapportionment. The bill
also would push back the pri-
mary election by one week
to Sept. 4, the day after the

three-day Labor Day weekend
holiday. Supporters said the
change is needed so that the
election will not conflict with
the Republican National Con-
vention in Tampa, scheduled
the previous week. Moving
the primary would allow fun-
draising to continue during
the GOP convention. The bill
would force voters who do not
go to the correct precincts to
cast provisional ballots. Since
1973, Florida has allowed vot-
ers to update their address at
a polling place.
The early voting period for
Miami-Dade County mayor is
May 9th May 22. Election
Day is May 24th.
_________________

Got water questions?

Get answers faster

online anytime!

Time is a luxury these days, so why spend it on the phone?
If you are a Miami-Dade Water and Sewer customer, you can
access a variety of water and sewer services online.

You can view your billing history, pay your bill, start or
transfer service, request a high bill investigation, change
your mailing address or phone number and more. It's all at
your fingertips.

Visit www.miamidade.gov/wasd
to get started today!
For more information
about online services, call 3-1-1.

MIAMI-=AD
r-sowD

I '

L' T;Z Yi~~ -~-;-i=~i I~ - i~'?

mmII

BL.ACK.\S M L:S CON IROI THEIR OWN DESTINY

A 8 THE MIAMI TIMES APRIL 27-MAY 5, 2011

hlLo1X

$600 To lape Wife? Ala. Whites

Make O fer To Recy Taylor Mate!

,,

1.. 'ria..

A '-r.
'r *,I .
a * a,
#'a t.

-AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File
Taylor is a 91-year-old Black woman who was abducted and
raped at gunpoint by seven white men in Abbeville, Alabama on
Sept. 3, 1944.

The Alabama Legislature has officially
apologized to an elderly Black woman
who was raped nearly seven decades ago
by a gang of white men as she walked
home from church.
The Senate gave final approval recently
on a voice vote to a' resolution that ex-
presses "deepest sympathy and deepest
regrets" to Recy Taylor, now 91 and liv-
ing in Florida. She told The Associated
Press last year that she believes the men
who attacked her in 1944 are dead but
that she still wanted an apology from the
state of Alabama.
The House approved the resolution last
month. It now goes to Gov. Robert Bent-
ley, who said he's not personally familiar
with details of the case, but sees no rea-

son why he wouldn't sign it.
Reached by phone last week by the AP,
Taylor said she welcomed the Legisla-
ture's action.
"I think that's nice," she said. "It's been
a long time. I'm satisfied."
The resolution by Democratic state
Rep. Dexter Grimsley of Newville says
the failure to prosecute the men was
"morally abhorrent and repugnant." He
has said police bungled theinvestigation
and harassed Taylor, and local leaders
recently acknowledged that her attack-
ers escaped prosecution in part because
of racism.
The AP does not typically identify vic-
tims of sexual assault but is using her
name because she has publicly identified
herself.
Taylor was 24 when she was confronted

by seven men who forced her into their
car at knife- and gun-point and drove her
to a deserted grove of trees where six of
the men raped her in Abbeville in south-
eastern Alabama. She was then left on
the side of the road in an isolated area.
Two all-white, all-male grand juries
refused to indict the suspects after the
attack. Recy Taylor's brother, 74-year-old
Robert Corbitt, said law enforcement au-
thorities tried to blame the attack on his
sister. He said his family was threatened
after the attack, his sister's house was
firebombed and his father had to guard
the house.
"I'm so glad they (the Legislature) de-
cided to do the right thing," Corbitt said.
Corbitt said Taylor is in poor health,
but he hopes she will come back to Ab-
beville by Mother's Day in May. Grimsley

Civil War isn't just history; for me, i

By DeWayne Wickham

For much of the next four
years, this nation will relive the
Civil War. It was 150 years ago
this month that rebel gunners
opened fire on the U.S. mili-
tary garrison at Fort Sumter,
S.C. That brief fight launched
America's bloodiest conflict, a
war that raged from 1861 to
1865.
Historians usually talk about
the Civil War in broad terms.
They view it as a fight that pit-
ted this country's industrial
North against its agrarian
South; a clash between free
and slave-holding states, or a
war fought by the proponents
of a strong central government
and the advocates of states'
rights.
I see it in a far more personal
way.
While I'm convinced that the
underlying cause of the Civil
War was the South's determi-

APRIL 27, 1968 Vincent
Porter becomes first Black
certified in plastic surgery.
APRIL 27, 1972 Charles
Alston, a painter who is fa-
mous for illustrating Black
contributions to medicine
through a mural in the Har-
lem Hospital in New York,
died.
APRIL 28, 1941 The Su-
preme Court ruled that rail-
road facilities for Blacks must
be substantially equal to those

nation to perpetuate slavery, in
a narrower sense it is, for me, a
family matter in which the cen-
tral figure was my grandfather,
Trevillian Wickham. He didn't
fight in the Civil War, though
nearly 200,000 Blacks served
in the Union Army. He wasn't
born until 1890.
The son of a slave named Ca-
sius Wickham, who was born
in, 1847 in Hanover County,
Va., my grandfather is my most
enduring history lesson on the
Civil War. He was named Trev-
illian after a train depot not far
from the plantation where his
father once lived. Called Trevil-
ian Station, it was the scene of
a major cavalry battle in 1864.
(The spelling was changed to
Trevilians or Trevillians after
the war.)
Among the Union generals in
that fight was George Arm-
strong Custer, whose Michi-
gan cavalry unit clashed with
Virginia cavalry troops com-

of whites. This Jim Crow case
was brought by Congressman
Arthur W. Mitchell.
APRIL 28, 1993 Lee P.
Brown was nominated Direc-
tor of the Office of National
Drug Policy. His nomination,
by President Bill Clinton, was
the first for a Black man in
this position.
APRIL 29, 1854 By an act
of the Pennysylvania legisla-
ture, Ashmun Institute, the
first college founded solely for

GEORGE CUSTER

manded by Gen. Williams
Carter Wickham, a short dis-
tance from the Louisa County
battleground. At its'peak, the
plantation had 275 slaves. One
of them is believed to have been
my great-grandfather, Casius
Wickham.
Knowing all of this connects
me and my family to the

Black students, is officially
chartered.
APRIL 29, 1977 Alex P.
Haley won the Pulitzer Prize
for Roots.
APRIL 30, 1926 Bessie
Coleman, the first Black li-
censed Black aviator, was
killed in an airplane accident.
APRIL 30, 1952 Dr. Louis
T. Wright honored by Ameri-
can Cancer Society for his
contributions to cancer re-
search.
MAY 1, 1941 Asa Philip
Randolph called on 100,000
Blacks to march on Washing-

Civil War in ways that
more personal than th
many historians have
great conflict. It also he
make sense of my gr
their's fascination with C
Station, a railroad hub i
timore where he worked
porter when I was a youi
Once, when my granc
took me there, I heard hi
some of the other Blac
who worked menial jobs
station talk about how
ham Lincoln used to
through here." It was for
a matter of great pride tl
president who set off a se
events that ended slave
been in the same space
they occupied.
While my grandfather
about how his work at C
Station connected him
coin, he never mention
linkage to the Wickhams
nover County, or his conr
to the Battle of Trevilia

ton, D.C. The march, in
test of discrimination i:
military and in the war ii
try, was scheduled for J
1941.
MAY 1, 1975 Paul
rence Dunbar, renowned
and novelist, was comn
rated on a U.S. postage st
MAY 2, 1920 The
game of the National
Baseball League was p
in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis ABC played
Chicago Giants.
MAY 2, 1953 Rev. J(
A. Johnson, Jr. became

said he hopes to present her with a copy
of the resolution at that time.
Taylor said officials in Abbeville ex-
pressed regret that she was not present
earlier this year when her hometown is-
sued an apology in the case.
"Since I wasn't there, they said they
should've had somebody on the phone to
let me know that they were sorry about
the length of time that it's been," she
said. "I don't even know what they. said.
They said they did the wrong thing."
Taylor has returned to Abbeville fre-
quently since moving to Florida more
than 30 years ago and said she expects
to visit her brother there next month.
She is not sure she will feel differently
now that the town has apologized.
"A lot of people have gone on," she said.
"There's nobody to fear there now."

t's personal
are far tion, which Union troops lost.
e view And he never said anything to
of this me about another chapter of
Ips me the Baltimore station's history
andfa- that unfolded shortly after Lin-
amden coln was sworn in as president.
in Bal- On April 19, 1861, a mob of
d as a Southern sympathizers at-
ng boy. tacked federal troops marching
father through Baltimore. They were
im and on their way to Camden Station
k men to take a train to Washington,
at the D.C., to reinforce the capital.
"Abra- The first casualty of this
come clash and the Civil War -
r them was Nicholas Biddle, a Black
hat the man who was the personal aide
series of of the unit's commander.
ry had Maybe my grandfather didn't
:e that know this bit of history. But his
connection to the place where
talked it happened and my fam-
amden ily's connection to one of the
to Lin- South's wartime commanders
ed his makes the memory of the
3 of Ha- Civil War more of a personal re-
nection flection than a sterile journey
.n Sta- down history's lane.

Spro- first Black student admitted
n the to Vanderbilt University's Di-
ndus- vinity School,
uly 1, MAY 3, 1845 Macon B. Al-
len, the first Black licensed
Law- to practice law in the United
d poet States, passed his law exami-
nemo- nation in Worchester, MA.
tamp. MAY 3, 1948 Shelly v.
first Kraemer was decided by the
Negro Supreme Court. The ruling
playedd provided that no state or fed-
i. The eral court could enforce re-
d the strictive covenants that pre-
vent individuals from owning
oseph or occupying property due to
e the their race.

Last week a local principal played the role of edi
physician when he delivered his initiative to hav
dents at his school receive eyeglasses free of char
Khan, principal of Theodore R. and Thelma A. Gib
ter School in Overtown helped his students this p
break in getting a free health screening that
vision screening.
"We a had spring break camp and di
time I provided free health screening
screening," he said. "For a child to
to make sure we take care of.the v
is very important. The stude
tested for their eye sight

school a new vision

EDUCATION COMMISSION
they are actually getting their free glasses through the Uni- the glasses
versity of Miami." see better," I
Khan said he is most proud of what he has done for his stu-
ucator and dents because of the long lasting impact something as simple
e the stu. as glasses will have. Eric J. Sm
ge. Fareed "Well as you know to be literate you have to be a great read- town to visit
)son Char- er. You have to be good at math, good in technology, however schools in M
)ast spring data shows that if a child's vision is not correct 85 percent "I have be.
included a of what they are giving in the class will not be accurate," he area and jt
said. "So, I think with my children the glasses will give them see all the h
during that confidence especially with the children that I have because in Emmanue
and vision a sense confidence is an issue." school said
be literate, Donald Pelix, a 11-year-old student that received glasses, sioner during
whole child said he believes he will perform better in his academics as a "I had a lo
cents came result of seeing better. Gibson C1
and today "It feels great to be getting my glasses today. I think that the commis.

NER VISITS
well help me to do better in school.now that I can
he said.

EDUCATION COMMISSIONER'S VISIT
lith, Florida education commissioner, was also in
Sthe the school. Smith visited a few other charter
liami as well.
en visiting some great schools in the Miami-Dade
has been a good visit," he said. "It is good to
ard work done by our educators."
l: Bell, a 12-year-old sixth grader at the
he enjoyed reading to the commis-
ig his visit.
t of fun reading to him," he said.
charter was the last stop on
sioner's tour.

Arsht Center honors student reviewers

Miami Times Staff Report

Ldcal students are being
honored for their interest in
theater. The winning student
reviewer has been announced
for this year's student reviewer
program. Armando Santana
was selected as the winning
reviewer for the Adrienne Ar-
sht Center's program. San-
tana was one of eight finalist
whose review of The Sparrow
made it to the final round of
judging. The two runners-

up include Bianca Benedi of
Miami Killian Senior High
School and Brandy Few of Mi-
ami Northwestern Senior High
School. All three will have
their reviews published in the
center's e-newsletter, Face-
book page and The Sparrow
Miami website.
Santana is a sophomore at
New World School of the Arts
High School. Santana, a resi-
dent of Doral, studies theater
and has a passion for play-
writing. This was the first

installment of the center's
reviewer program. One hun-
dred Miami-Dade journal-
ism students across 20 public
high school, including San-
tana were invited to become
part of the challenge to be
part of the media corps cover-
ing and reviewing the center's
production. As part of the pro-
gram, students participated
in a press conference with the
show's creator Nathan Allen
and Scott Shiller, the center's
executive vice president. The

students were also given the
opportunity to attend an ex-
clusive theater critique class
led by Christine Dolen. A pan-
el of South Florida art leaders
selected the best reviews.
Judges included Joseph
Alder, producing artistic di-
rector of GableStage; Janet
Erlick, executive artistic di-
rector of Ft. Lauderdale Chil-
dren's Theater; Andie Arthur,
executive director of the South
Florida Theater League and
Dolen, theater critic.

Youth minister opens music school
Miami Times Staff Report opening the school was his own and as long as the child shows a ogy degree and
experience of being offered the desire and a passion for music, his B.A. by Jun
In an age where video games same opportunity with a schol- Reeves is willing to help get that ter has nine sta
and TV shows occupy many arship that paid for his mu- child into classes, are all part-tir
children's spare time, music sic lessons when he was a boy. About 75 percent of the cen- five teachers: t
can be a great use of time. Re- Reeves offers lessons to anyone ter's students pay full rates and degrees and the
cently Stephen Reeves, a youth that is willing to learn, but he about 25 percent pay reduced soned musician
minister, opened a music school does expect certain standards. rates or are on a scholarship. Saturday are
for children in Lauderhill. Pres- He said that he expects anyone The center has about 100 stu- at the center be
tige Music Center is aimed at expecting to learn music from dents, with most ranging in age most of its sti
teaching children how to play him to have high morals and from four to 15. Reeves plays the lessons. The a
an instrument well. The music Christian values. Reeves dou- saxophone, flute, guitar, drums program has juq
school, which previously had bles as a youth minister at the and keyboards. He also has a cludes music lei
roots in Sunrise where it shared Living Word Open Bible Church Bachelor of Arts degree in hos- work time until
a room with a dance studio for in Cooper City when he is not pitality and a minor in music, dents go for les
two years, opened in Lauderhill teaching music. Each child goes He attended a performing arts of twice a week
at the beginning of the year. through an application process high school in Jamaica. He is limit on how r
One of Reeves motivation for that includes an assessment currently working on a theol- can show up to

I hopes to have
e 2012. The cen-
iff members who
ners. There are
:wo have music
Others are sea-
ns. Reeves said
the busiest time
because it's when
dents come for
fter-school care
st begun and in-
ssons and home-
7 p.m. Most stu-
sons an average
, but there is no
nany times one
learn.

Columbine massacre's

12th anniversary

By Randy Grice
rgrice@miamitimesonline.com

April 20th marked the 12th
anniversary of the deadly Col-
umbine Hjgh School shooting,
the massacre that took place at
a then obscure high school in
Jefferson County, Colorado. On
this year's anniversary of the
tragic day, a pipe bomb and two
propane tanks were found at
a Colorado mall. It is unclear if
the incident was sparked by the
anniversary of the high school
shooting.

SCHOOL VIOLENCE
Columbine was not an origi-
nal act by any means and it has
not been the last. Gun violence
was a problem back in the 70s
at Jefferson High School in Los
Angeles.
Local teacher Kevin Price,
57, said he remembers gun vio-
lence in his schools growing up.

"There were a lot for things
to be afraid of in my school
and guns were one of them,"
Price said.
At the beginning of the year,
Richard Simpson, 17, an 11th
grade student at South Planta-
tion High School was arrested
and charged with carrying a
concealed firearm on school
property. Despite this incident,
some locals believe school
safety is better now.
"The students are safer than
before but the entire system
needs work. We have to pro-
tect our kids in school because
in many cases that is the only
place they will be protected,"
Jasmine Hall, 27, Liberty City,
said.
Zack F. McDonald, 16, local
student disagrees.
"Our schools are not safer
but I do not think anyone would
pull a Columbine on us," he
said:

High school advance courses overrated

By Sam Dillion

More students are taking am-
bitious courses. According to a
recent Department of Education
study, the percentage of high
school graduates who signed
up for rigorous-sounding class-
es nearly tripled over the past
two decades. But other stud-
ies point to a disconnect: Even
though students are getting
more credits in more advanced
courses, they are not scoring
any higher on standardized
tests. The reason, according to
a growing body of research, is
that the content of these cours-
es is not as high-achieving as
their names the course-title
equivalent of grade inflation.
Algebra II is sometimes just
Algebra I and College Prepara-
tory Biology can be just Biology.
Lynn T. Mellor, a researcher in
Austin, Tex., who has studied
the phenomenon in the state,
compares it to a food market-
er labeling an orange soda as
healthier orange juice.
"Like the misleading drink
labels, course titles may bear

little relationship to what stu-
dents have actually learned,"
said Dr. Mellor, who has ana-
lyzed course completion, test
records and other student data
in Texas "We see students tak-
ing more and more advanced
courses, but still not perform-
ing well on end-of-course ex-
ams."
The 2009 results the most
recent available -- of the fed-
eral test that measures change
in achievement levels over de-
cades showed that the nation's
17-year-olds were scoring no
higher in reading and math
than in 1973. SAT scores have
dropped or flat-lined, too, since
2000.
But a federal study released

this month of 38,000-high
school transcripts showed that
the proportion of graduates
completing a rigorous curricu-
lum rose to 13 percent in 2009
from five percent in 1990. Ar-
nold A. Goldstein, a director
at the department's National
Center for Education Statis-
tics, which administered both
the federal test and the tran-
scripts study, suggested pos-
sible causes for this apparent
contradiction.
"There may be a 'watering
down' of courses," he said. Also,
high school seniors may not try
hard when they take the federal
tests, since there are no conse-
quences based on how they per-
form, he said.

Donald Pelix

gets a final
look at his

new glasses.

---- ---- "' -1 -- -

A .W.-

+41

BLAC.\KS \LST CONTROL. IHEIR O\\N IDESI'INT

10A THE MIAMI TIMES, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2011

Schools continue to work

towards reducing violence

..

-Miami Times photo/D. Kevin McNeir
ALPHA MEN: The brothers of Beta Beta Lambda Chapter (Miami) and other chapters, after their successful Legends Luncheon.

Fraternity also mentors foster kids and at-risk Black males

ALPHAS
continued from 1A

Tuskegee University.
The Education Foundation, a
non-profit entity of the Chapter
that was founded in 1995, fo-
cuses on scholarships for young
men in the community and does
"fun stuff" with the boys as well
- from bowling to attending Mi-
ami Heat games. The Fraternity
partners nationally and locally
with the March of Dimes, the
American Cancer Society, Com-
munity Health of South Florida,
Inc. and the Center for Family
and Children Enrichment, Inc.
"People often ask me how we
do so many things but I truly
believe that to whom much is
given much is required," Hurry
added.

Pinkney, The Historic Hampton
House Community Trust, Inc,
founding president/CEO; Sam-
uel L. Gay, Jr., a former prin-
cipal, alternative education ex-
pert and 47-year member of the
Fraternity; the Honorable John
D. Johnson, a retired circuit
court judge and 72-year mem-
ber of the Fraternity who was
the second Black judge in M-D
County; Dr. Solomon C. Stin-
son, a 50-year member of the
Fraternity who recently retired
from the School Board after 50
years of service with M-DCPS;
and Gordon Charles Murray,
Sr., a practicing attorney for
over 25 years and the 2010 Al-
pha Brother of the Year (Florida
Federation).
Program participants includ-
ed Trever Wade, Chapter presi-
dent; Dana M. Moss, Sr., mas-
ter of ceremonies; Dr. Joseph
Gay, music; and John Ellis, Jr.
a FAMU graduate and Alpha Phi
Alpha's district director for the
State of Florida who brought the
keynote address.
Each of the honorees shared

their memories of service to
Blacks in Miami-Dade County
and expressed their thanks for
being recognized.
"It is an honor to be rec-
ognized by your peers and I
proudly wear my life member-
ship and 50-year pin," Stinson,
73, said. "I am still getting used
to retirement but still do what-
ever I can to help and encourage
youth Black males. We know it
isn't easy for Black youth today
but we as a Fraternity believe
that if we help just one man
succeed and stay on the right
track, that our labors will not
have gone in vain."
Diggs, whose daughter will
matriculate at Howard Univer-
sity in the fall, said the best
thing we can do in our commu-
nity for young people is to show
them Black leadership at work.
"Today when you look around
this room what you see is a vi-
sion of our beautiful, Black Mi-
ami and I am honored to be in-
cluded in the number," he said.
Gay clearly had the largest
contingency of r'mily members

to celebrate his award. But it
was the moving testimony of
his son, John Gay, that brought
many in the audience to tears,
including the speaker himself.
"I remember someone com-
ing to our door and asking my
father for his help," Gay said.
"One of our neighbors had a gun
and was threatening to shoot
himself. It seemed like forever
before my father returned from
that backyard he and our
neighbor were walking together
and my father had the gun in
his hand. He has been a bless-
ing to others and he has been a
blessing to me."
Pinkney said that in many
dark and discouraging mo-
ments along the way, it has
been the support of her Over-
town family and other Blacks
that have helped her to con-
tinue.
"Thanks to all of you who
permit me to serve," she said.
"I am a product of the love of
Overtown how could I not
give back what was so freely
given to me?"

Mt. Sinai's Barber says learn the candidates' views

MAYOR
continued from 1A

county mayor. Edmonson's move
may be viewed with some con-
sternation by her colleagues,
particularly County Commis-
sioner Carlos Gimenez, who is
one of 11 candidates running for
county mayor. But in her com-
ments to a group of prominent
Black ministers, Edmonson said
her endorsement comes after a
careful review of all of the can-
didates.
"I guess I may as well own up
to it yes, I have joined Team
Bradley and can truly say that
Roosevelt Bradley is the same
honest, ethical man that I first
met when we were students to-
gether at Jackson Senior High
School," she said. "The key is
that we select a candidate that
knows their way around the

County and can sit and debate
with anyone on topics impacting
the lives of our County's resi-
dents. We need to make sure we
get behind a serious candidate
- I believe that person should
be Roosevelt [Bradley]."

WHO HOLDS FRONT
RUNNER STATUS?
Edmonson says she hopes
Blacks will get more involved in
the political process and attend
debates, talk to. folks in their
community, ask the candidates
questions and of course, vote on
May 24th.
"We cannot afford to be pas-
sive now," she said. "Cubans
and whites here in Miami-Dade
County have identified those
who they say are the front run-
ners. They speak to those indi-
viduals and know where they
stand on the issues. We Blacks

have our own, front runners and
if we all get out and vote, we can
put our candidate in office."
Rev. Johnny Barber, pastor
of Mt. Sinai Missionary Bap-
tist Church, hosted Edmonson
and a small but vocal group of
Black clergy men who came
from Liberty City, North Miami
Beach and even Homestead. He
said opportunities where min-
isters and church members can
meet and talk with candidates
are important ways of increas-
ing voter turnout.
"One pastor can represent
500, 1,000 even 2,000-plus
people and potential voters so
don't be fooled when rooms like
this are not filled to capacity,"
said Barber, 39. "Commissioner
Edmonson reached out to me
and asked me to encourage my
fellow clergy to open their ears
and give Bradley an audience.

As people of color we should
hear him out and open our
doors as he comes to share his
vision with us. We owe him that
much not just because he is
Black but because of the con-
tributions he has made to the
Black community."
Other clergy that attended
the breakfast meeting with
Bradley and Edmonson includ-
ed: Rev. Woodrow Jenkins, St.
Luke MBC; Jeffrey Mack, Sec-
ond Canaan MBC; Rev. Dwayne
Fudge, St. Mary's MBC, N. Mi-
ami Beach; and Rev. Joe Silas,
Allen Chapel AME Church.
Veron H. Clark, Sr., 74, said
it's time that the Black commu-
nity "stick together."
"The old guard' in Black Mi-
ami used to support one an-
other but we don't do that any-
more," he said. "It's time we give
one of our own a chance."

African president missing daughter worried

IVORY COAST
continued from 1A

visit to Miami at a facts forum
about the French massacre of
Africans. "I don't know who ar-
rested them. I don't know if it
was France, the U.N. or the reb-
els."
Singleton also acknowl-
edged that she's reached out to
the U.N.'s Committee Mission
spokesperson and was informed
that the U.N. wasn't involved in
removing her father from office.
Gbagbo was forcefully re-
moved from the presidential
palace, it is believed, because
he refused to concede defeat in
a presidential run-off between
himself and Ouattara.

TWO PRESIDENTS
FOR ONE COUNTRY
This episode between Gbagbo
and Ouattara has been fester-
ing for years and came to a head
after both men were declared
president from two different
sources.
Gbagbo became president
and was sworn into office at the
presidential palace on Decem-
ber 4th after the president of the
Constitutional Council declared
him victorious.
On the other hand on Decem-
ber 2nd, the Independent Elec-
toral Commission's (IEC) presi-
dent announced on television
that Ouattara had won the elec-
tion therefore giving him justifi-
cation in taking the presidential
oath at the Golf Hotel (his head-
quarters).
Both men took oath on De-
cember 4th, leaving the country
in a tailspin that has since re-

sulted in civil unrest.
"Who won the presidency has
not been solved as of today," said
Dr. Eric Edi, chairman of the
Board of Directors of Africom.
"Civil war has broken out."
Singleton says her father
wasn't required to leave office
because the IEC doesn't have
the authority to make anyone
president that job is left up to
the Constitutional Council. She
and Edi agree on several points
- that Gbagbo should be placed
back in office to at least finish
his term and that the election is
just a red herring.
"The problem is between
Gbagbo and France," Edi said.
"What's at stake is the Colonial
Pact."
The Colonial Pact is what in-
stituted the monetary system
[the CFA franc] for 14 African
nations called the Francophone
countries who are required to
transfer 85 percent of their for-
eign exchange reserves in an op-
erations account at the French
Treasury in Paris, leaving only
15 percent of their own money
at their disposal. Officials at
Saturday's meeting here in Lib-
erty City also pointed out that
because of the Pact, France has
first claim on on all government
contracts and has the first op-
tion to purchase or decline any
natural resources found in the
Francophone countries.
Singleton says her father
wanted to put a halt to this type
of injustice.

FORUM CALLS FOR JUSTICE
Saturday's forum, sponsored
by the African American Nation-
al United Foundation (AANUF),

was intended to inform the com-
munity of the many forms of
injustice that the Ivory Coast
continues to endure. E. Louis
Burnside, board member of
AANUF, conducted a Power-
Point presentation and warned
the audience that he was about
to show some very graphic pic-
tures of the massacres that have
taken place against the people of
Cote d'Ivoire.
With all the tortured and de-
ceased bodies that Burnside
showed in his presentation,
one photo in particular brought
tears to the eyes of Sirgleton; it
was a picture of her mother as

she was being taken away by
rebels.
"We need to rescue the presi-
dent and the first lady," Burn-
side said.
Ray Fauntroy, president of
AANUF, asks all concerned citi-
zens to contact U.S. Senator
John Kerry to ask for an investi-
gation into the elections and the
disappearance of Gbagbo, his
family members and his em-
ployees.
"It's time to come together to
change for justice," Fauntroy
said. "What's going on in Africa
is going on here in America."

Our deadlines have changed
We have made several changes in our deadlines due to a newly-
revised agreement between The Miami Times and our printer. We
value your patronage and support and ask you to adjust to these
changes, accordingly. As always, we are happy to provide you with
excellent customer service.

For classified and obituaries use, the following:
Phone: 305-694-6225; Fax:305-694-6211

I

VIOLENCE
continued from 1A

of students arrested and a drop
in crime. School police arrested
a total of 1453 students in 2007:
859 Black and 589 white. As
of March 31, 2011, these num-
bers had declined significantly:
240 arrests were made with 141
Black and 99 white.
"Our ultimate goal is to have
a safe learning environment
so the students can graduate,"
said Hurley. "After graduation
students will be able to enter
the community as successful
adults."
To keep students focused on
their education, Hurley's de-
partment has a plethora of vio-
lence prevention programs to get
them back on the right track.
His unit conducts monthly tru-
ancy sweeps at hotspots where
the kids like to hang out like
the beach, mall and along the
Metrorail route. And while offi-
cers don't always arrest truant
youth, they must make contact
with parents sometimes on
that day but at times as early as
six in the morning the following
day.
Another initiative is the Gang
Abatement Program where po-
lice conduct gang sweeps to
weed out any potential criminal
activity.
. In addition, all public schools
have anti-bullying campaigns
that work closely with mental
health and crisis management
teams to address and reduce
bullying. What sets Hurley's
department apart from other
school districts is that all of his
officers undergo a comprehen-
sive bully training colloquium
twice a year.
"We want to make it unaccept-
able to believe that it's okay to
bully someone around," Hurley
said. "We have to change the be-
lief system and make kids feel
better about themselves and
school."

PROGRAMS AIMED AT KEEP-
ING YOUTH FROM GETTING
CRIMINAL RECORD
Mental health training is
now required for all officers as
it has been proven that many
students act out because they
are suffering from some sort of

psychological disorder. Other
violence prevention techniques
include: anonymous report-
ing where students and staff
can report incidents through
e-mail, text or telephone; and
the use of the alcohol, beverage
and tobacco (ABT) unit where
underage students are sent into
stores where they attempt to
purchase alcoholic beverages
and tobacco products. If they
are sold these products then of-
ficers enter the store and arrest
the clerk.
Many point to the Civil Cita-
tiori Program, which is an ar-
rest diversion plan where youth
have committed minor offenses.
Instead of being arrested, re-
sulting in a criminal record,
they are rerouted to resources
that look at the symptoms of
their misbehavior.
In 2007 there were a total of
319 civil citations issued: 173 to
Black students and 145 to whites.
As of March 31, 2011 the num-
ber of citations had dropped to
138: 61.to Black youth and 77 to
white students. Hurley says that
equates to a 35 percent reduction
rate in students going to jail.
"This saves taxpayers money
and prevents the child from get-
ting a criminal record," Hurley
said.
The 12 and Under Review looks
at offenders under the age of 12
and redirects them to services
provided by social workers. Hur-
ley's efforts will be acknowledged
on May 20th when he will be-
come the first chief of police to be
inducted into the Juvenile Court
Wall of Honor at the Children's
Courthouse & Juvenile Justice
Center.
M-DCPS Superintendent Al-
berto Carvalho says that he is
delighted to see that the hard
work that everyone's been doing
is finally paying off.
"We're fighting violence in our
community a trend that-is pow-
erful and far reaching by using
education and offering alterna-
tives that will help our students
respond to conflict in a positive
and anti-violent manner," he
said. "Our work is paying off and
we are seeing very encouraging
results in our efforts to reduce
crime. Teachers, students, coun-
selors and our police officers are
to be commended."

re-open in August for classes

SHAW
continued from 1A

of the death and destruction,
students and alums from the
historically-Black college, Shaw
University, realize how lucky
their school really was. Although
the student union is now without
a roof and while trees were up-
rooted and many windows shat-
tered, there has been no report
of any student or faculty mem-
ber sustaining serious injury.
Still, the damage was significant
enough for Dr. Irma McClaurin,
president, to cancel classes for
the remainder of the semester.
"Last Thursday we had a
Raleigh-area clean up day and
students from.all over the state,
including North Carolina Cen-
tral, UNC Chapel Hill, NC State,
North Carolina A&T, and of
course Shaw University stu-
Sdents and alums, helped with a
massive effort to get the campus
back in shape," said Chris Paul,
27, a Shaw graduate who lives
in Knightdale, just outside of
Raleigh where Shaw is located.
"Looking back at the tornado, I
don't remember hearing sirens
or anything it was just very
windy and raining pretty hard
the last time I looked outside.
But after the storm as I rode
around I saw the destruction.

Shaw made a good decision to
close for the rest of the year. And
we hear that instructors are be-
ing very supportive so that stu-
dents will not be penalized."
Paul says the biggest chal-
lenge has been getting students
back to their hometowns given
the abbreviated school year and
the destruction of their cafeteria
and dorms.
"My church has done all that
it can and donations continue to
pour in," he said.
Here in Miami, Shaw Alumni
President E. Dolores Samms
(305-625-7934) will meet with
other graduates on Thursday,
May 5 at Denny's Restaurant,
NW 27th Avenue and 196th
Street at 1 p.m, According to
their chaplain, Dr. S. Frank
McKoy, they will be continuing
their efforts to get Shaw's cam-
pus repaired and ready for class-
es later this August.
"We are also making sure that
students either have transporta-
tion home or have secure accom-
modations in the Raleigh area if
they must remain through the
summer," he said. "We need ev-
eryone's help."
To show your support, contact:
Shaw University, Disaster Relief
Fund, Mechanics and Farmers
Bank, 13 E. Hargrett Street, Ra-
leigh, NC, 27601

A4.
^ ^-i ^y ^-y ^ ^ A^.k

11A THE MIAMI TIMES, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2011

Fundraiser relies on Obama's

social networking ties

Silicon Valley event

raises over $2 million
By Jon Swartz

SAN FRANCISCO President
Obama made one house call
during his whirlwind visit to Sili-
con Valley this week.
He attended a private fun-
draiser at the San Francisco
home of billionaire Marc Benioff,
CEO of Salesforce.com, where he
rubbed elbows with tech execs
and raised more than $2 mil-
lion for the Democratic National
Committee and his re-election
campaign.
The fundraiser, just hours af-
ter Obama and Facebook CEO
Mark Zuckerberg co-hosted a
town hall meeting at the social-
networking company, under-
scores the president's deep ties
to high-tech. He used Facebook
as a major source for raising
money and recruiting volun-
teers during his run for office
in 2008, and is likely to do so
again in 2012. Facebook co-
founder Chris Hughes oversaw
Obama's online operations in
2007-8.
At the same time, Obama has
frequently huddled with execu-
tives from Apple, Google, Intel,
Cisco Systems, Yahoo and oth-
ers to gain their considerable
influence while trying to help
them hammer out solutions to
issues bedeviling their indus-
try: restrictive immigration laws
for highly skilled foreign-born
workers, a lack of engineers in
the U.S. and stifling taxes.
"He gets tech, and we need to
work with him," says Benioff,
who has worked with the White
House on several tech issues,
including cybersecurity and
health-care reform.

-AP Photo
Stevie Wonder entertains crowd as they dine with the president.

In his only press interview
since the Wednesday night
event, Benioff said Obama
touched on' the budget battle
and economy both of crucial
importance to the estimated $1
trillion industry. He spoke for
about 40 minutes to a crowd
that included high-tech guests
like Evan Goldberg, co-founder
of cloud-computing powerhouse
NetSuite; Yelp CEO Jeremy Stop-
pelman; Drew Houston, CEO of
online-storage vendor Dropbox;
Craiglist founder Craig New-
mark and angel investor Ron
Conway and venture-capital
legend Sandy Robertson.
Stevie Wonder, a friend of Be-
nioff's, serenaded the president
and intimate crowd with an
original composition he wrote
for Obama called "Ten Billion
Hearts," about joining together
to heal the world.
About 60 people paid $35,800
each to attend the dinner. The
president sat at a table with
Benioff, and musicians Stevie

Wonder and Will.i.am. Benioff
introduced Obama as the "the
right person to lead us" during
times of crises.
"I'm not apolitical person. I
don't consider myself a Demo-
crat or Republican, but I am
an American," said Benioff, 46,
whose online-software service
company is based in San Fran-
cisco. "But I do like the presi-
dent. He's had a rough couple
years and done a good job."
Benioff says the whole af-
fair happened quickly. He got
a call recently from a political
operative-whom he declined
to name-about hosting a fun-
draiser for the president, who
spoke at a town hall meeting at
Facebook recently.
"I've got a lot of friends in this
room," Obama said. "Some of
you are involved in start-ups.
Well, I was a start-up not so
very long ago ... So many of you
took a chance on me, and it was
not at all likely I was going to
win."

Obama's broken promise: I'll help jobless Blacks

By DeWayne Wickham

This is not an easy column for
me to write. It's never easy to
tell someone you like that he's
a disappointment. I like Barack
Obama. I liked him the first time
we met back in 2006 when I took
a small group of journalism stu-
dents to Washington, D.C., for a
meeting with the then-freshly
minted U.S. senator.
I liked Obama even more when
an aide to his presidential cam-
paign invited me to a July 2007
speech he gave. laying out his
commitment to improve life for
people in urban America which
for most politicians is a euphe-
mism for Black America.
"Today's economy has made it
easier to fall into poverty. ... Ev-
ery American is vulnerable to the
insecurities and anxieties of this
new economy. And that's why the
single most important focus of my
economic agenda as president will
be to pursue policies that create
jobs and make work pay," Obama
said that day to his mostly Black,
audience.
At that time, the nation's over-
all unemployment rate was 4.7
percent. Whites had a jobless rate
of 4.2 percent while the Black
unemployment rate stood at 8.1
percent. Today, the Black rate is
15.5 percent, nearly double that
of white job-seekers.
I don't blame Obama for the
economic conditions that are re-
sponsible for so many Blacks be-
ing out of work. The seeds of this
problem were planted long before
he moved into the Oval Office.
But I do fault him for not doing
more to fix this problem.
The poor in urban America, he
said in that 2007 speech, "suf-
fer most from a politics that has
been tipped in favor of those with
the most money, and influence,
and power." And then he asked
rhetorically, "How can a country
like this allow it?" To which he
answered, "We can't."
But so far, under his leader-
ship, he has allowed it.
Finding work for the jobless is
the best anti-poverty program
this nation can mount. But
while the Obama administration
spends $608 million during the
first 17 days of its involvement in
Libya's civil war it can muster
neither the money nor the will to
combat Black unemployment.
The president's failure to fight
this problem as vigorously as he
wages war abroad gets a pass
from Black leaders, many of
whom complain to me private-
ly but remain silent in public.
They're reluctant to challenge
Obama the way Martin Luther

King Jr. did Lyndon Johnson
in 1967.
America "would never invest
the necessary funds or energies
in rehabilitation of its poor" so
long as it was involved in the Viet-
nam war, King said in a speech in
which he called for an end to that
bloody conflict.
Last month, as the Obama ad-
ministration applauded the cre-
ation of 216,000 new jobs and a
slight dip in the overall unem-
ployment rate, the gap between
whites and Blacks without work
widened as the Black unemploy-
ment rate inched up.
In December 2009, when the
Black unemployment rate was
just 5.5 percentage points higher

than the national rate, Obama
told USA TODAY that he didn't
think he needed to do anything
special to close this gap. Now
that it is nearly seven percent-
age points higher, Black leaders
should demand that the president
devote as much attention on this
problem as he has on ending the
military's "don't ask, don't tell"
policy and in pushing for.immi-
gration reform.
They should demand an.end to
the wasteful spending on wars
that can't be won and insist that
the resulting peace dividend be
used to finance that revitalized
urban policy the one Obama
not so long ago promised would be
the focus of his economic agenda.

We keep you healthy!

Don't hasten your death because

you fail to read meaningful

and helpful news

in our Health and Wellness

section every week.

Keep up with the latest

news and educational

trends in modern medicine.

Let us help to

keep you healthy.

~e ^liami tJime

CELEBRATING EASTER

-Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and daughters Malia and Sasha attend
Easter church service at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., Sunday, April 24.

The Children's Trust is a dedicated source of revenue established by voter referendum
to improve the lives of children and families in Miami-Dade County...

Because All Children Are Our Children

I

BLACKS MLS-l CONTROL I HEIR 0%V.N DETI'INY

--

The Miami Times

Faith

SECTION B

MIAMI, FLORIDA, APRIL 27 MAY 3, 2011

MIAMI TIMES

Standing in failh

GOSPEL SINGER TURNS

STRUGGLE

By Kaila Heard
kheard@miamitimesonline.com

For her debut gospel album,
Miami-based singer Pat Jacksbn,
chose to name the EP, "Lord, I'm
Still Standing."
The album's title is fitting.
In her 50 years of living, Jack-
son has dealt with a series of
obstacles including major car
accidents, several medical emer-
gencies and most recently a fight
against thyroid cancer.
To explain how she survived
it all, Jackson said simply, "God
spared my life."

S

INTO TESTIMONIES

BORN TO SING
Raised in the church by her
foster mother, the late Elder M.L.
Braddy, Jackson had a natural
affinity for music and singing. By
the time.she was 15, her talents
made her in demand to play with
four different choirs.
Yet, she rarely minded her busy
schedule since she was getting
the opportunity to do what she
loved.
"Music soothes me when I'm
sad and it's just something that's
always been a part of me," she
said of her desire to sing.
Jackson continued to sing and
play the piano and organ at vari-

ous churches throughout South
Florida for years. Although she
dreamt of releasing a solo gos-
pel album, lack of contacts and
professional knowledge always
prevented her from pursuing her
ambition.
However, in 2007, her fortune
seemed to take a turn for the
worse. That year, she was diag-
nosed with multiple cysts, tumors
(benign) and even diverticulitis,
a condition when small areas of
the large intestines rupture and
become infected. She underwent
four major surgeries, during one
of which she nearly bled to death.
Please turn to SINGER 14B

Historic Virginia Key Beach hosts sunrise service

By Kaila Heard
kheard@miamitimesonline.com

On Sunday, April 24,
crowds of worshippers gath-
ered at the Historic Virginia
Key Beach Park for New Birth
Baptist Church Cathedral of
Faith International's Easter
Sunrise Service.
"[This service] is so impor-
tant because it commemo-
rates what all Christians
around the world are celebrat-
ing the resurrection of Jesus
Christ," said Elder Lorenzo G.
Johnson Jr., the pastor of the
New Birth Evangelism Out-
reach and Missions Depart-
ment.

Ph.,:,,:,.ljr ., H Iu 'I I N : PCyr 3 .fi9 i'y l:r .rI T...K
The park was a popular place among Blacks during its hey-
day.

"temporary beach" for Black
military personnel in 1944,
was opened for public usage
in 1945 and quickly became
a popular gathering spot for
South Florida Blacks. Dur-
ing the Jim Crow Era, where
segregation was the law of
the land, Blacks were only al-
lowed to swim at the Virginia
Key Beach. After the 1960s,
all beaches, including Virgin-
ia Key Beach, were opened to
people of all races. Yet, with
the end of segregation, the
once-popular beach slowly fell
into disuse. Eventually, the
swimming facilities and park
were officially closed in 1982.
Yet due to growing de-
mand to preserve the his-

toric grounds, the Virginia
Key Beach Park Task Force
was formed and the property
was listed on the National
Register of Historic Places in
2002. Finally in 2008, the
park was re-opened and since
then there have been several
revitalization projects to re-
store the Historic Virginia Key
Beach to its former glory.
"We are excited about hav-
ing our Easter worship expe-
rience in a place that is rich
in history and a reminder of
what African-Americans have
undergone for the freedom
and equality of all people,"
said Bishop Victory T. Curr\.
the founding senior pastor of
New Birth Baptist Chutch.

S

,It
'r- .

PASTOR OF THE WEEK

REVEREND LEWIS NESBITT

Greater Love Baptist Church

By Kaila Heard
kheard@miamitimesonline.coin

For 71-year-old Pastor Lew-
is Nesbitt, the call to preach
seemed to catch him totally
unaware.
"The ministry was not some-
thing I was expecting," he ex-
plained. "It's just when it comes
you can't avoid it."
It started when he found that
his simple prayers all seemed to
transform themselves into min-
iature sermons.
He had no control over it.

"This bothered me," he said.
What sounds amusing now
was frustrating to Nesbitt over
20 years ago.
Back then a deacon at Jor-
dan Grove Missionary Baptist
Church, Nesbitt gave his trail
sermon in 1988.
He would go on to lead his
own church six years later.
"I prayed and I said whatever
came along, I was ready for it,"
he recalled.
He would become the senior
pastor of the small congrega-
tion of Greater Love Baptist

Church in 1995.
Yet Nesbitt in spite of his
prayers, was concerned as he
learned about his new duties.
At the time, the church would
not have been considered the
ideal first pastoralship by
many ministers. With a hand-
ful of members, the church was
in financial trouble, constantly
facing late payments on basics
such as rent and utilities.
Yet he had a dream which re-
assured him that all would be
well.
Please turn to NESBITT 14B

V. .' .

Attendees receive foot washing and footcare at annual event.

-Photo courtesy of Miam Rescue Mission

Homeless center celebrates

'Thanksgiving in April

By Kaila Heard
kheard@miiamitimesonline.com

The Miami Rescue Mission/Broward Out-
reach Centers held their annual "Thanksgiv-
ing in April" celebration on Friday, April 22.
With the assistance of more than 500 vol-
unteers, over 2,200 Thanksgiving-style meals
were served at the non-profit organization's
three campuses to the homeless and hungry
of South Florida. The meals consisted of such
Thanksgiving staples as green beans, mashed
potatoes, stuffing and turkey. Free hair cuts
and showers were also offered.
In addition to the healthy meals and groom-
ing stations, event attendants could also en-
joy the services of Barry University podiatry
students, who were on-site to provide general
Please turn to THANKSGIVING 14B

Teen Essence. She is the
daughter of attorney Leon-
ardo Starke and La Untrice
Starke, a teacher on special

assignment for Miami-Dade
County Public Schools. This
pageant featured women of
various ethnicities, ages, and
backgrounds competing in
three categories: Teen 13-17,
Ms. 18 and up, and Mrs. The
contestants were judged on

displays the Miss Florida Teen Es-

a crite-ia which included: a
panel interview, swimwear,
and evening wear. All of the
participants were from the

South Florida Tri-County
area.
As the winner of the Miss
Florida Teen Essence Pag-
eant, Starke receives an all
expense paid trip to Kansas
City, Missouri where she will
represent the state of Florida
in the National Essence
Pageant, June 23-25, 2011.
Throughout her reign, Starke
plans to continue her com-
munity service efforts and
promote her platform Teen
Resistance to Peer Pressure
and Bullying.' She developed
the idea for the platform after
observing how so many of her
peers were making poor and
potentially dangerous deci-
sions in order to fit in. Her
goal is to convince students
that there are many "cool"
kids who are above the influ-
ence, have fun, and are not
willing to risk ruining their
futures by being reckless.
Her favorite scripture is "To
whom much is given, much is
required."
When she is not wearing
her "Heels, Sash and Tiara,"
Starke spends her free time
writing short stories and nov-
els. She is currently working
on her third book, and hopes
to be published one day.
She's also an actress/model
and loves producing, edit-
ing and directing short films.
Finally, she enjoys playing
soccer, hanging out with
friends and traveling. After
graduating from high school,
her plans.are to attend college
to become a television news
anchor/reporter and author.
Although pageantry is very
new to the ninth grader, it
has proven to be a great es-
teem and confidence builder.
She is looking forward to
competing in Kansas City,
and hopes to bring the Na-
tional Miss Teen Essence title
back to Florida!

On Thursday, April 14, Mi-
ami-Dade County Commis-
sioner Dennis C. Moss kicked
off the South East Conference
Annual Meeting of Evangelical
Covenant Churches by bringing
greetings to hundreds of guests
gathered at Kingdom Covenant
Ministries Church located at
10300 SW, 162nd Street in Per-
rine. The conference took place
April 14-16.
Kingdom Covenant Ministries'
Senior Pastor Ed Carey served

as host for the conference which
consisted of 43 churches who
traveled from North and South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana and vari-
ous parts of Florida. The South
East Conference's objective was
to gather together for a time of
affirmation, confirmation and
information.
One of several guest speak-
ers included Shaun King, the
found, A Home In Haiti, an
organization which provided
shelter for victims of Haiti's dev-
astating earthquake which "oc-

curred in January 2010. King's
organization has become the
third largest supplier of tents
in the world. They are currently
providing tents for those that
are still homeless in Haiti.
Of the many speakers and
presentations that took place
throughout the conference, on
Friday, April 15, Moss also pre-
sented a Miami-Dade County
Proclamation to the South East
Conference proclaiming April
14, 2011 as South East Confer-
ence Day in Miami-Dade Coun-

Florida pastor's plan faces challenges

By Bernie Woodall

DETROIT (Reuters) A De-
troit prosecutor has filed a
petition in district .court to
stop a Florida fundamentalist
Christian preacher, who re-
cently caused riots in Afghani-
stan after he burned a Koran,

lence was too great to allow
Terry Jones to hold the planned
gathering on Friday near the Is-
lamic Center of America the
largest U.S. mosque in the
heavily Muslim Detroit suburb
of Dearborn.
A hearing on Worthy's bid to
Please turn to PASTOR 14B

Southwood student works

hard for his community

Special to the Miami Times

Having a sense of purpose
gives life direction and mean-
ing. Eric Munoz knows the
value of having a purpose
and working towards a goal.
Although this is Eric's first
year as a member of the 5000
Role Models of Excellence
Project, he has already made
his mark. As a sixth grader he
is vice president of the 5000
Role Models of Excellence Club
at Southwood Middle School
where he serves as a peer men-
tor to other students.
Eric feels that the 5000 Role
Models of Excellence Project
has taught him important les-
sons about life. He takes ad-
vanced classes and is a mem-
ber of the Magnet Arts Program
where he says he has found
purpose through his art. In his
community, Eric is a member,

Eric Munoz

of St. John Catholic Church.
Eric's future plans are to at-
tend college after high school
and become a business execu-
tive. He is the April Role Model
Student of the Month.

Families need'online-use plan'

By Shari Roan

The social-media world is
where many children and
teens today spend much of
their time. That means moms
and dads have to develop a
different parenting game plan
than their own parents used,
pediatricians said recently.
Social media aren't bad
things, the report notes, al-
lowing kids to make friends,
raise money for a good cause,
get help with homework,
share interests and forge their
unique identities. On the flip
side, there are the risks of
cyber-bullying, sexting, Inter-
net addiction, depression and
loss of sleep from spending
too much time online.
Parents need a "family
online-use plan," according
to the authors of the report,
titled, "The Impact of Social
Media on Children, Ado-
lescents, and Families." To

do that, they said, parents
should:
-Become better educated
about the technologies their
kids are using.
-Emphasize the guidelines
for healthy and appropriate
behavior as part of the family
online-use plan.
-Supervise online activities.
-Don't allow younger chil-
dren on sites that have an
age-13 minimum.
-Teach children that the so-
cial media sites they visit may
capture information about
them and target them for ad-
vertising.
The report is published on-
line in the journal Pediatrics.
More tips for parents can be
'found through the American
Academy of Pediatrics' link
"Talking to Kids and Teens
About Social Media and
Sexting." In addition, see:
safetynet.aap.org and www.
healthychildren.org.

Bible readers prefer King James version

67 PERCENT OF HOLY BOOK OWNERS HAVE THE

VERSION THAT SPREAD THE ENGLISH WORD

By Cathy Lynn Grossman

If thou hast a Bible in the
house right now and readeth
it at least once a month,
chances are strong it's the
majestic King James version
of the Bible in Elizabethan En
glish, a new survey out today
finds.
Of the 89 percentof'U.S.
adults who own at least one
Bible, 67 percent own a King
James, which marks its'400th
anniversary this year, accord-
ing to LifeWay Research, a
Nashville-based Christian re-
search agency.
Although there are two doz-
en English-language Bibles in
many contemporary transla-
tions, the King James version
reigns even more supreme
among those who actually
read their Bibles: 82 percent
of those who read the Good
Book at least once a month
rely on the translation that
first brought the Scripture to
the English-speaking masses

4 .

.i
;' *-; ' '; i
/~ L I 1 J
,. -'j/s

The first King James Bible was printed in New York in
1792.The King James version is the Bible most adults own,
according to a new survey.

worldwide.
Age makes a difference. Sev-
enty-six percent of Bible own-
ers 55 and older have a King
James, compared with 56
percent of those under 35, ac-
cording to the survey of 1,004

adults, conducted March 2-6.
'This version's now-archa
ic phrasing and vocabulary
don't seem to be a problem of
casting "ye your pearls before
swine," as it says in Matthew
7:6.

When LifeWay asked about
readers' experience with
the language dating back to
1611, many called it "beauti-
ful" (31 percent) or "easy to re-
member" (23 percent). It is, af
ter all, the book that gave En
glish countless idioms such
as "salt of the earth," "an eye
for an eye," "at our wit's end"
and "oh ye of little faith."
Some called it hard to un-
derstand (27 percent) or out
dated (16 percent).
About two in 10 of those
under age 35 reported trou-
ble understanding it, com-
pared with about three in 10
of their elders.
"Christians believe that
God's word is truth and that
truth is conveyed through
language thus translations
have always been integral to
the spread of Christianity,"
said Scott McConnell, di-
rector of LifeWay Research.
"It is hard to over state the
influence of the KJV," he
said.

Evangelical leaders: Churches need tithes

By Dan Gilgoff

Thou shalt not be required to
financially support your church
- but you should-anyway.
That's the upshot of a new
informal survey of evangelical
leaders finding that less than
half believe that the Bible re-
quires church members to
tithe, the practice of giving at
least 10 percent of one's in-
come to the church.
The survey, conducted by
the National Association of
Evangelicals (NAE) among its
100-member board of direc-
tors, found that 42 percent of
evangelical leaders believe the
Bible requires tithing, while 58
percent do not:
"The Old Testament called
for multiple tithes, sort of com-
bining government taxes with
religious stewardship," NAE
President Leith Anderson said,
reacting to the survey.
"Since there is such a strong
evangelical tradition of tithing,

I was a little surprised that a
majority of our evangelical
leaders say the tithe system
of the Old Testament does not
carry over to the New Testa-
ment or to us," Anderson said
in a statement.
The National Association of
Evangelicals, the nation's big-
gest evangelical umbrella or-
ganization, would not say how
many of its 100 board members
responded to the survey, which
was conducted in February.
The board includes such in-
fluential figures as the heads of
the Salvation Army, the Assem-
blies of God a major Pente-
costal denomination and the
National Hispanic Christian
Leadership Conference.
The injunction to tithe comes
from the Old Testament, or
what Jews call the Hebrew Bi-
ble, which tells of Abraham and
others giving ten percent of war
spoils, a harvest or other goods
as offerings to God or religious
leaders.

I' '
k /e
ww 0-.,

Dan Olson, a Purdue Uni-
versity sociology professor
who has studied tithing, says
the new survey doesn't mean
Christian leaders think those
in the pews shouldn't give.
"Most of those leaders would
probably say, 'ou really ought
to tithe, but the term 'requires'
gets at a theological point," he
said.
"Most Christians would say
the laws of the Old Testament
are not what save you you're
supposed to be giving out of a
spirit of freedom, not because

you're bound to laws," he said.
The National Association
of Evangelicals' survey found
that 95 percent of evangelical
leaders say they give at least
10 percent of their salaries to
church.
A recent study by group that
tracks church giving, called
Empty Tomb, Inc., found that
evangelicals on a whole give an
average of four percent of their
income to their church, though
Olson suspects the average is
much lower, around one per-
cent or two percent.

BLACKS ML'IT (ON IOIRO ]IIEIR ()\\ NDESTIXY

~ **,

13B THE ..'A l,; TIMES, APRIL 27-MAY,5, 2011

5

1II -'K" M\II CC'\I'ROI FIIEIR 0C\\ DESTINY

B 41 THE MIAMI TIMES APR 1

B St. John African Method-
ist Episcopal Church is spon-
soring a Community Health
Fair with free screenings for
diabetes, HIV, eye, dental and
hypertension at 6461 SW 59th
Place in South Miami, 10 a.m. -
2 p.m. 305-667-7937.

B The Faith Church, Inc.
invites you to worship service
on Sunday at 9 a.m. and 11
a.m. and their Ministry In Ac-
tion outreach service that pro-
vides free hot meals, dry goods,
and clothes every Thursday at 7
p.m. Visit www.faithchurch4y-
ou.com or call 305-688-8541.

N Yvonne Tate's Women's
Ministry is hosting a one day
revival at the El Palacio Hotel

B An House of Prayer for
All People, Inc. will hold Pros-
trate Prayer every Wednesday
at 7 p.m. and Revival Services
every Sunday at 6 p.m. during
April. 305-474-7430.

B Set Free Ministries
through Jesus Christ of the
Apostolic Faith Church, Inc.,
will be having a workshop on
Homosexuality and the Bible
on June 18, 9 a.m. 4 p.m.
RSVP by May 31. 786-488-
2108.

E New Life Family Wor-
ship Center will be hosting a
Bible Study every Wednesday

.-
n

at 7 p.m. until April 27. They
also welcome ever-one to their
"Attitude and Me" Seminar on
April 23 at 1 p.m. Registration
is $10. 305-623-0054.

God's Storehouse Minis-
tries is hosting their fifth an-
nual Mother's Day Breakfast
on May 7 at 8 a.m. Tickets are
$30. 305-573-5711.

B The Youth In Action
Group invites you to their "Sat-
urday Night Live Totally Radi-
cal Youth Experience" every
Saturday, 10 p.m. midnight.
561-929-1518

B A Mission with a New Be-
ginning Church will be feeding
the hungry every second Sat-
urday of the month.

B Redemption Missionary
Baptist Church holds a Fish
Dinner every Friday and Satur-
day; a Noon Day Prayer Service
every Saturday; and Introduc-
tion Computer Classes every
Tuesday and Thursday at 11
a.m. and 4 p.m. Reverend Wil-
lie McCrae, 305-770-7064 or
Mother Annie Chapman, 786-

Can'good home training'be taught in the classroom?

By Kaila Heard
kheard@miamitimesonline.com

In Black communities, such
behaviors such as knowing to
offer your guests food or drinks;
wearing appropriate (noth-
ing too revealing or too casual)
clothing to church; and even
knowing how to greet people
once you enter a room were sim-
ply categorized as having "good
home training," according to
Karen Grigsby Bates and Karen
Elyse Hudson, authors of "Basic
Black: Home Training for Mod-
ern Times."
Many people have cited a lack
of such manners as a cause of a
lot of today's social ills.
So Trenette Wilson decided to
bring back good ole fashioned
"home training."
As the CEO and founder of
a non-profit organization, the

Texas-based Urban Girlz, Inc,
Wilson offers seminars and
classes on etiquette.
"Our mission is to empower
young people for future suc-
cess," said the 43-year old Wil-
son.
Classes cover everything from
proper dining behavior, profes-
sional image and attire, appro-
priate body language for vari-
ous situations, public speaking
and general business etiquette..
There is even a section on prop-
er dating etiquette which Wilson
considers to be one of the semi-
nars' most important subject
matters.
"Nowadays kids have so many
forms of communication that
the relationship progresses
much more quickly," she ex-
plained.
Wilson, who previously
worked as an educator of teen

pregnancy prevention, was in-
spired to begin her etiquette*
seminars when she saw the lack
of civility between young women
and men, particularly when it
came to relationships with one
another.
"What I found was that, over-
all, etiquette behavior between
the[sexes]. had declined," the
educator said.
One of Wilson's most essential
mandates is 'no dating until 16.'
She created the rule because
.of concerns about the lack of
mental maturity that is normal
among children.
"A young [person] shouldn't
date until they're ready because
they can't control their anger,
they don't' know how to commu-
nicate and they don't' know the
rules of dating," she explained.
Hence the birth of the Ur-
ban Girlz, Inc. etiquette train-

ing seminars in 2009 and later
a counterpart specifically for
young men, Urban Gents was
created.
The organization also trains
people to become etiquette in-
structors throughout the United
States. So far, they have trained
an estimated 65 women in 15
states, including Florida.
The etiquette lessons are pri-
marily for teenagers, however,
they have held sessions for
youth as young as seven-years-
old and up to those who are se-
nior citizens.
Teaching adults the "rules of
etiquette" are important to Wil-
son since she sees parents as
being the ones who children
model their behavior after.
She explained further, "There
is a cycle going on. So [families]
have to be educated from the
top down."

Gainesville minister preaches peace, while armed

PASTOR
continued from 13B

block Jones and his support-
ers from holding the rally at
the mosque will be held in a
Dearborn court. The petition is
dated April 15.
Jones, in a telephone inter-
view with Reuters, said he will
proceed with the demonstra-
tion in front of the mosque re-
gardless of what the court de-
cides.

FREE SPEECH JONES
"That's absolutely ridiculous
to us," Jones said of the so-
called "free speech zones" away
from the mosque that city offi-
cials want him to use. "For one
thing, I think that's totally un-
constitutional."
He also said that he will not

pay a "peace bond" to cover
costs of police security for the
demonstration, which was sent
to him by Dearborn officials.
He said he has heard that the
bond is as high as $100,000,
but the papers he has show
that it is to cover all costs of
holding the demonstration.
Prosecutors argue that the
planned gathering by Jones
could incite a riot, citing hun-
dreds of email death threats
against the preacher.
Jones said he wants to pro-
voke no one, but he will be
packing his gun for his own
protection. He will appear with
another man from his church
and "five or six" supporters in
Michigan.
"I have a .40-caliber semiau-
tomatic and a concealed license
permit, and I will be wearing

that," Jones said. "There will be
no provocative actions from us.
We are coming in peace."

30 KILLED
More than 20 people were
killed and dozens injured when
riots erupted in Afghanistan
after Jones burned a Koran on
March 20 inside his Gaines-
ville, Florida, church.
Jones claims he is protesting
only against radical Muslims
and is not against all who prac-
tice Islam.
In a city north of Kandahar
earlier this month, seven for-
eign U.N. staff and five Afghan
protesters were killed after
demonstrators overran a U.N.
office.
Worthy's filing cites the
deaths that followed the March
20 Koran burning.

The 58-year-old Jones, the
head of a small church called
the Dove World Outreach Cen-
ter, drew worldwide condem-
nation in September over his
initial plans to burn the Koran
on the anniversary of the Sep-
tember 11,.2001, attacks.
He backed down after pleas
from the U.S. government and
other world officials, but then
presided' over a March 20 mock
trial of the Koran that included
a torching of the book.
Jones has called his dem-
onstration "Stand Up America
Now." Local demonstrators in
Michigan plan a counter rally
under the banner "Stop the
Hate."
Jones planned to hold his
gathering on Good Friday, the
day that Christians honor the
crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Can faith, works forge a successful gospel career?

SINGER
continued from 12B

Jackson survived the or-
deals only to be diagnosed
with thyroid cancer the fol-'
lowing year. Eventually, she
underwent surgery to remove
the cancerous growth, fol-
lowed by radiation therapy.
While such hardships may
have caused others to be-
come depressed and listless,
instead Jackson was inspired
to write original songs for the
first time. The results, "Heav-
enly Angels" and later "I Give
Thanks," all appear on her
album.
To the gospel chanteuse,
she had nothing to worry
about because the outcome
of her struggles had already
been taken care of.
"I knew God was not going
to fail me because I believed
in Him and I trusted Him,"
she explained.

LORD, I'M STILL STANDING
In October 2010, an im-
promptu performance by
Jackson at a banquet hall
eventually would lead to Ca-

millionaire Enterprises pro-
ducer, Derrick Dixon, wit-
nessing her talents.
He recalled the encounter,
"I just sat' down and heard
her sing and heard her story
and it was great."
Working together for the
next four months, the album
"Lord, I'm Still Standing" was
completed and ready for re-
lease by January 15, 2011.
Dixon has high hopes for
the career of Jackson, whom
he calls a "gospel diva," a
term he said means she has a
vivid stage presence.
"She's a true singer. Her
delivery is passionate so you
can tell that she means what
she sings," Dixon explained,
"she just really knows how to
perform and captivate an au-
dience."
For Jackson, she is unsure
what her future holds, but
remains open to all possibili-
ties.
"Now I'm on a mission to
tell my testimony. I want to
sing all over the world," she
said, "wherever the Lord
takes me."
Her next scheduled per-

formance will be at Mt. Zion
Missionary Baptist Church's
Mother's Day Gospel Extrav-
aganza on May 8 at the Para-
dise Banquet Hall.

Her album, "Lord I'm Still
Standing" is currently sold
through the SupportRealMu-
sic.com website, a subsidiary
of Camillionaire Enterprises.

Our deadlines have changed
We have made several changes in our deadlines due to a newly-
revised agreement between The Miami Times and our printer. We
value your patronage and support and ask you to adjust to these
changes, accordingly. As always, we are happy to provide you with
excellent customer service.

For classified and obituaries use the following:
Phone: 305-694-6225; Fax:305-694-6211

Senior Mother's Day celebration

at Bethel Apostolic Temple

312-4260.

A Mission with a New
Beginning Church mem-
bers invites the community to
their Sunday Worship service
at 11:15 a.m. on Thursdays,
Prayer Meetings at 6:30 p.m.
and Bible Class at 7 p.m.

N Come along and join Saint
Cecelia's chapter of Saint
Agnes Episcopal Church on
Thursday, May 26-30, 2011 to
Atlanta, Georgia and Shorter,
Alabama. If interested sign
up with Betty Blue, Florence
Moncur and Louise Cromartie.
305-573-5330.

The community is invited to
join Rev. Annie Temple and the
Word of Wisdom Ministry to cel-
ebrate all senior mothers at 5
p.m.. Saturday, May 7, at Beth-
el Apostolic Temple, Dr. Carol
Nash-Lester, senior pastor.
There will be a live concert
featuring Debra Snipes and the
Angels. Come and be blessed
as this woman of God minister
to our senior mothers.
Doors will open at 4 p.m.
Tickets are $20 and can be
purchased at Bethel Apostolic
Temple,1855 NW 119 Street or
WMBM radio station.
Call 305-754-7635 or 786-

foot care.
Mary, a Miami resident who
enjoyed the foot washing sta-
tion described the care provid-
ed as "a blessing."
She explained further, "I just
feel so welcomed and happy be-
ing here."
Also during the "Thanksgiv-
ing in April" celebration, more
than 700 Easter baskets were
given to any children in at-
tendance. Entertainment was
provided at all three campuses
and included Easter-themed
plays, bounce houses, games,
and live music.
SEstablished in 1922, the Mi-
ami Rescue Mission combines
ministry with homeless out-
reach. In addition to emergency

services offered for the needy
and homeless such as beds and
meals, the center offers cloth-
ing and showers.
The centers also offer a year-
long regeneration program for
men and women suffering from
various issues such as home-
lessness, substance abuse and
mental illness. They are al-
lowed to participate in group
counseling, life skills and aca-
demic courses.
The centers provide needed
services for an often under-
served population. According
to a 2010 Miami-Dade County
Homeless Trust Census, there
are nearly 3832 homeless per-
sons in the county. In Broward
County, there are an estimated
3,114 homeless person, accord-
ing to "Florida's Ten Year Plan
to End Homelessness."

Nesbitt: We all need the word

NESBITT
continued from 12B

"God, I knew we could get it
together," he said.
The turnaround happened
slowly.
To help with the finances, the
church began hosting simple
sketches and dramas and other
times random acts of charity
helped them become solvent

and get a grip on their finances.
Today, Greater Love Baptist
Church remains a small church
with fewer than 30 members.
Yet Nesbitt is content since he
sees his work as a pastor to be
the same regardless of the size
of his congregation.
"People in small churches
need same thing as people in
big churches," he explained.
"They need the Gospel."

I'tL) I II L I MI I O'l i LO, M IL & . . W .... I

Debra Snipes .
546-4782, for additional infor-
mation.

Bi \(kINl ~I(NIRITER(~\\D' 5 H IM IEARL2-A ,21

Obama

softens

effects of

Medicare

cuts

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON Millions of seniors
in popular private insurance plans of-
fered through Medicare will be getting a
reprieve from some of the most contro-
versial cuts in President Barack Obama's
health care law.
In a policy shift critics see as political,
the Health and Human Services depart-
ment has decided to award quality bo-
nuses to hundreds of Medicare Advantage
plans rated merely
average.
The $6.7 billion
infusion could head
4... off service cuts that
S would have been a
headache for Obama
and Democrats in
next year's elections
f: for the White House
i and Congress.
SEBELIUS More than half the
roughly 11.mil-
lion Medicare Advantage enrollees are in
plans rated average..
The insurance industry says the bonus-
es will turn what would have averaged
out as a net loss for the plans in 2012
into a slight increase.
In a recent letter to HHS Secretary
Kathleen Sebelius, two prominent GOP
lawmakers questioned what they termed
the administration's "newfound support"
for Medicare Advan-
tage.
The shift "may
represent a thinly
veiled use of taxpay-
er dollars for politi-
cal purposes," wrote
Sen. Orrin Hatch of .
Utah and Rep. Dave .
Camp of Michigan. r .
Camp chairs the '
House Ways and OBAMA
Means Committee,
which oversees Medicare. Hatch is his
counterpart as ranking Republican on
the Senate Finance Committee.
Seniors are among the deepest skep-
tics of the new health care law. A recent
AP-GfK poll found that 62 percent disap-
prove of Obama's handling of health care,
as contrasted with 52 percent approval
among Americans overall. The poll also
found that seniors are more likely to trust
Republicans than Democrats on health.
The administration says the reason for
the bonuses is quality improvement, not
politics, and the program will be evalu-
ated as it goes along.
"We are looking at whether an alterna-
tive payment incentive structure would
lead to broader quality improvements
across all Medicare Advantage plans, by
Please turn to MEDICARE 19B

Healthful behavior is a key

factor in health care system

Disease prevention acts as a major LII

weapon while costs continue to rise i

By Kelly Kennedy

WASHINGTON- As the House takes
up Rep. Paul Ryan's budget pro-
posal that caps Medicare spending
and turns it over to private insurers,
some health care industry experts
say it won't work without a key piece:
encouraging healthy behavior.
"Behavior is central to health care,"
said Bob Nease, chief scientist at Ex-
press Scripts, which manages health
benefits for more than 50 million
people. "The health care system's
been barking up the wrong tree."
Costs will continue to rise, he said,
as one-fourth of the population con-
tends with health problems related
to behavior: Overeating, lack of ex-
ercise, smoking and not managing
chronic diseases, such as diabetes
or Alzheimer's, leading to expensive
hospital visits.
Recently, the House plans to vote
on Ryan's budget proposal today. He
also proposed turning Medicaid over
to the states and cutting it by $750
billion over the next 10 years.
On Wednesday, the House voted
to repeal the Prevention and Public
Health Fund, part of the new health
care law, which provides $750 mil-
lion to prevent tobacco use, heart
disease, stroke and cancer. Propo-
nents of the repeal argued that the

money could be used for any health
initiative without congressional ap-
proval, and, according to a support
letter from Americans for Tax Reform
and the Center for Fiscal Account-
ability, amounts to "little more than
a taxpayer-funded exercise in social
engineering."
Health experts who gathered for
the Atlantic Health Care Forum last
week in Washington, D.C., reacted
less than glowingly to Ryan's plan,
including Chet Burrell, president of
Blue Cross/Blue Shield, who said
the gap between the money provided
for Medicaid and Medicare and ac-
tual health costs would continue to
grow without a push for behavioral
change. In the District of Columbia
region, health care costs have aver-
age increases of between eight per-
cent and 12 percent a year, he said.
"This is not cheap stuff, doing this
kind of intervention," said Francis
Collins, director of the National In-
stitutes of Health. "But we all know
just how ineffective this is without
support."
As an example, he said, his agency
conducted a study of 3,234 people
who were pre-diabetic, or those with
a family history of diabetes, live a
sedentary lifestyle or are overweight.
About one-third, at a cost of $2,780
each for a three-year period, went

through a behavior-modification
program with exercise training and
life coaches. About 58 percent of
those patients avoided full-blown di-
abetes. One in four Americans older
than 20 were considered pre-diabetic
in 2007.
"In the long run, it will be cheaper,"
Collins said. According to the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Preven-
tion, it cost $299 billion to treat dia-
betes in 2010.
In a second study that reduced
complications in patients with dia-

betes by 90 percent, the behaviors
encouraged by daily phone calls dis-
appeared when the program ended,
said Myrl Weinberg, president of
the National Health Council, which
represents people with chronic dis-
eases and disabilities that lobbies for
health care for all. "We believe that
people absolutely want to change
their behaviors," she said. "They
need that social support."
It may be more important that em-
ployers provide wellness programs,
Please turn to BEHAVIOR 19B

Researchers find five new Alzheimer's genes

Studies help fill in Alzheimer's picture

and predict whom it may hit

By Mary Brophy Marcus

In the largest study of its kind, re-
searchers have identified four new
genes linked to late-onset Alzheimer's
disease, the most common form of
dementia. An additional study has
confirmed a previously identified
gene and found a fifth.
In the first study, funded by the Na-
tional Institutes of Health, research-
ers analyzed genetic data gathered on
54,000 individuals about 20,000 of
whom had Alzheimer's and the rest of
whom were cognitively normal, says
lead author Gerard Schellenberg,
professor in the Department of Pa-
thology and Laboratory Medicine at
the University of Pennsylvania School
of Medicine, in Philadelphia.
The research was conducted with
scientists from 44 other universities
and research institutes in the USA, a
group called the Alzheimer's Disease
Genetics Consortium. The consor-
tium also helped identify a fifth gene,
reported in the second study by in-

Alzheimer's growth

Alzheimer's disease is growing
rapidly and will continue to do
so unless a treatment or cure is
found, experts say:

(in million) 16

5.4

2010 2050
Source: Alzheimer's Association
vestigators from the USA, the United
Kingdom, France and other European
countries.

"I've been in Alzheimer's genetics
since 1985, and I would have to say
this is the most exciting event that's
happened," Schellenberg says. "Up
until this point, there have only been
five known genes for Alzheimer's risk,
and so we've essentially doubled the
genes people know about."
Each new gene becomes a new clue
as to what causes Alzheimer's, he
says. The researchers hope the find-
ings will help scientists create new
drugs and identify high-risk indivicu-
als who don't yet show symptoms.
"The brain is like a black box. You
can do some imaging when patients
are alive, and poke around after
someone dies, to try to figure out why
someone has Alzheimer's or not," but
this helps increase the ability to pre-
dict who will get it, he says.
Current treatments are limited and
there is no prevention or cure for the
brain-wasting condition, says Wil-
liam Thies, the Alzheimer's Associa-
tion's chief medical and scientific of-
ficer.
The new research offers hope, ex-
perts in the field say.
"This was a huge and expensive un-
dertaking, and the scope was unprec-
edented," says Scott Turner, director

of the Memory Disorders Program at
Georgetown University Medical Cen-
ter. "It will give us further insight into
disease mechanisms."
It will still be a while before the
public can benefit from the discovery.
"This is very basic science ... but it is
several steps away from a clinically
meaningful breakthrough. The genes
may in some way be associated with
the disease, but what do they do?"
Says Alzheimer's expert Gary Kenne-
dy, director of the Division of Geriat-
ric Psychiatry at Montefiore Medical
Center in the Bronx, N.Y.
The author of the second study,
David Bennett, director of the Rush
Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush
University Medical Center in Chi-
cago, concurs: "This is just kind of a
first step in understanding the biol-
ogy of what causes the disease," he
says. "There's a whole cascade of
work that needs to be done."
Many of the Alzheimer's genetics
researchers involved in these stud-
ies are coming together for an even
larger, similar study, Schellenberg
says. It is called the International
Genomics of Alzheimer's Project; its
members met for the first time in No-
vember in Paris.

Study: Finds strong smoking-asthma link

The link between smok-
ing and asthma may be even
stronger than previously sus-
pected, a new study finds.
Researchers analyzed data
from a large, epidemiological
survey of American adults
(the National Comorbid-
ity Survey-Replication) and
found that people who were
diagnosed with asthma were
1.26 times more likely to have
been a smoker and about
twice as likely to have been

nicotine dependent at some
point in their lives, compared
to those without asthma.
The link between asth-
ma and smoking was even
stronger among adults who
said they'd been nicotine de-
pendent in the previous 12
months.
"Individuals with asthma
were nearly three times as
likely as those without asth-
ma to have reported nico-
tine dependence in the past

12 months after controlling
for demographic and drug
abuse/dependence vari-
ables," Alison McLeish, an
assistant professor of psy-
chology at, the University
of Cincinnati, and her col-.
leagues wrote in the study.
About half of the smokers
with asthma said they started
smoking before they were di-
agnosed with asthma. These
adults were diagnosed with
asthma at a much later age

than those who began smok-
ing after they were diagnosed
with asthma.
The proportion of people-
who had been nicotine de-
pendent at some point in
their lives was similar among
those who started smoking
before (29.3 percent) or after
(25.7) they were diagnosed
with asthma.
The study appears online
in the Journal of Health Psy-
chology.

Ex-smokers diagnosed with milder cancer

By Frederik Joelving

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)
- Researchers have found that
kidney cancer is not only more
common among heavy smok-
ers, it also appears to be more
aggressive.
According to a study recently,
more than one in four smokers
undergoing kidney cancer sur-
gery had advanced stages of the
disease, compared to only one
in five patients who didn't light
up.
Researchers say about 70
percent of people with early-
stage tumors survive at least
five years, whereas that num-
ber plummets to just eight per-

cent after the cancer has begun
spreading.
About one in 70 Americans,
most of them elderly, develop
kidney cancer, according to the
American Cancer Society.
But the findings aren't all bad
news. Indeed, former smokers
who'd kicked the habit had a
smaller chance of turning up
with advanced cancer.
While the study wasn't de-
signed to prove that quitting
can slow tumor growth, Dr.
Thomas J. Polascik, who led the
work, said he believes that to be
the case.
"It can't bring you down to the
risk of a nonsmoker, but it can
get you almost there," Polascik,

a surgeon at Duke University in
Durham, North Carolina, told
Reuters Health. His findings
appear in the Journal of Clini-
cal Oncology.
Polascik and his colleagues
looked at data for 845 people
who'd had surgery for kid-
ney cancer at their hospital.
A quarter of the patients had
advanced disease, defined as
cancer spreading beyond the
kidney.
The odds of finding late-stage
cancer were 60 percent higher
in smokers about a fifth of
the patients than non-smok-
ers, even after taking age and
other factors into account. And
the more cigarettes they had

smoked, the higher the odds.
Former smokers also had
higher odds of advanced dis-
ease. But the odds fell by nine
percent for every decade they
had been smoke-free.
The researchers say that
means smoking might not only
up the chances the a tumor
will form in the first place, but-
might also fuel cancer growth,
perhaps by suppressing the im-
mune system.
However, Alexander S. Park-
er, a kidney cancer expert at
the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville,
Florida, said it's also possible
that smokers are less likely to
seek medical care than non-
smokers.

Botox may smooth your wrinkles, but
it can dull your ability to understand the
emotions of others, a new study suggests.
Botox, used in cosmetic and medical
procedures for 20 years, paralyzes mus-
cles, hindering certain facial movements,
such as frowns, that over time can cause
wrinkles.
Therein lies the problem, says David
Neal, a psychology professor at the Uni-
versity of Southern California, lead author
of the research, published today in the
journal Social Psychology and Personali-
tyScience.
"People who use Botox are less able to
read others' emotions," says Neal, who
worked with a researcher at Duke Univer-
sity in Durham, N.C.
People read emotions partly by mim-
icking facial expressions, Neal says, so

"if muscular signals from the face to the
brain are dampened, you're less able to
read emotions."
Researchers conducted two experi-
ments, one of 31 women, comparing Bo-
tox with Restylane, a dermal filler, and the
other of 56 women and 39 men, using a
gel that amplifies muscular signals. Par-
ticipants in both experiments viewed com-
puter images of faces and identified the
emotions they saw.
"When the facial muscles are dampened,
you get worse in emotion perception, and
when the facial muscles are amplified, you
get better at emotion perception," Neal
says.
A similar study published last year in
the journal Emotion said Botox injections
may decrease a person's ability to feel emo-
tions. That study, conducted at Columbia
University, compared Botox and Restylane
in 68 people. Its lead author, psychologist
Joshua Davis, hasn't seen the new study
but says the finding "would suggest that
facial expression is an integral component
of what we consider our emotional experi-
ence. Certainly the concept is one that fits'

with the research we did."
Dermatologist Elizabeth Tanzi of Wash-
ington says she's treated at least 10 pa-
tients a day with Botox for a decade and
has' never heard a complaint related to
emotions.
"It's important that facial expression is
there," she says. "People care about what
they look like, but they do not want to look
overly done or overly plasticized."

FIGHT G CANCER

Scott tweets to inform, inspire

By Michael Hiestand

Fighting cancer, Stuart Scott
tweets to inform, inspire: It's
easy to dismiss Twitter.
ESPN's Stuart Scott says he
"never had any interest in Face-
book or Twitter. If I'm going to
the store, I don't think people
would care."
Scott, 45, wholl host ABC's
NBA studio shows this week-
end, came to accept Twitter as
another piece of the changing
media landscape. "I got the idea
of Twitter. I just wasn't sold on
me doing it."
That has changed. "I use Twit-
ter to inspire and be inspired.
This whole thing has touched
me ... It's amazing, overwhelm-
ing."
Scott three years ago had che-
motherapy and overcame cancer
of the appendix. He's in a new
bout with cancer he doesn't
want to publicly specify what

type and started chemo a
week ago with a new sidekick:
Twitter (@1stuartscott).
He twittered his treatment.
And he get tweets from people
touched by cancer who inspire
him to work out after chemo
treatments. "Fighting cancer is
a group thing; it's an army fight-
ing this together."
Now Scott can't stop twit-
tering even when he's out with
daughters Taelor, 16 and Sydni,
11 "they're my life." And with
38,480 Twitter followers, it lets
him hear from people like the 92
year-old man who's weathering
cancer treatments in hopes it
will give him more time with his
great-grandson.
"I'm one of their people. We all
know what it's like. There's pow-
er in that."
His own bottom line: "Cancer,
I'm going to beat you and there's
nothing you can do about it."
Sounds like a Tweet.

New guid

spotting A

By Shirley S. Wang

The first update in nearly
30 years to U.S. guidelines for
the diagnosis of Alzheimer's
disease expands the defini-
tion to include patients with
earlier stage symptoms and
recognizes the condition as
being on a continuum rather
than just end-stage dementia.
People diagnosed with Al-
zheimer's tend to be 65 and
older, but evidence suggests
that signs of the memory-
robbing disease, like amyloid
protein plaques and nerve cell
death, may start in the brain
five to 10 years before they
can currently be detected.
In the future, doctors hope
to rely more on biomarkers,
proteins and other molecules
in patients' blood and tissue
that are indicators of the dis-
ease.
For now, clinical practice
won't change much. Diagno-
sis will continue to rely on the
judgment of clinicians, as it
has since the diagnostic cri-
teria were first published in
1984, according to experts,
including those from the Na-
tional Institute on Aging and
Alzheimer's Association, who
led the new guidelines that
were published recently.
Still, the formal recognition
that people can have less se-
vere memory problems known
as mild cognitive impairment
years before full-fledged Al-
zheimer's could enable doc-
tors "to investigate the ideas
and eventually to find the
treatments that are so neces-
sary to avoiding the epidemic
of Alzheimer's disease that we
see facing us," said William
Thies, chief medical and sci-
entific officer for the Alzheim-
er's Association.
Earlier diagnosis would en-
able patients to make plans
about their lives when they
are better equipped to make
such decisions. And pnce
medications become available

lelines for

lzheimer's

that are proven to slow the
progress of the disease, doc-
tors hope that Alzheimer's pa-
tients can begin taking them
earlier.
"We felt that our best chance
for disease-modifying therapy
is to detect disease and inter-
vene much earlier," said Reisa
Sperling, a committee mem-
ber and director of the Center
for Alzheimer's Research and
Treatment at Brigham and
Women's Hospital.
While some experts advo-
cate taking currently avail-
able drugs in the early stages
of Alzheimer's, there is no

conclusive evidence that they
are effective in slowing down
the disease. In recent years,
several clinical trials of ex-
perimental treatments that
have reached late-stage test-
ing have been disappointing.
Alzheimer's is thought to af-
fect some 5.4 million Ameri-
cans. An equal number of
people may have mild cog-
nitive impairment or earlier
stages of the disease, though
data about these individuals
are lacking.
The new guidelines detail
the importance of studying
biomarkers, which are con-
sidered to be key to earlier
diagnosis because they don't
rely on subjective judgments
of patients' behavior. Such
indicators could also be use-
ful in identifying subjects for
research studies.

Monitoring your blood sugar

GLUCOSE
continued from 17B

2 diabetes may need anywhere
from one to three glucose
checks daily. More frequent
checks may be necessary if you
are pregnant, or have an acute
or chronic illness. Testing
usually is done before meals,
after meals and at bedtime.
Adults with diabetes should
have an A1C level of less than
seven. The recommended
SMBG test result before a
meal is between 70 to 130 mg/
dL (milligrams per deciliter)
and after a meal is less than
180 mg/dL. Numbers that
are too low could be a sign
of hypoglycemia and would
require that you eat something.
In these circumstances,
you also may need to adjust
your next insulin dose as
well as future insulin doses.
Hyperglycemia can occur if
these levels are too high, in
which case you may need
additional insulin.
Testing kits and supplies,
including alcohol pads, sterile

finger lancets and sterile test
strips, can be purchased
at a pharmacy without a
prescription. Your doctor or
nurse can recommend the
proper equipment for you and
teach you how to use it. You
will need to write down test
results in a record book so you
can review this information
with your doctor. You also
may want to include what
you have eaten, when you
took insulin and how much,
and how active you have been
throughout the day. The more'
detailed your records are, the
more help they will be for you
and your doctor to manage
your diabetes.
For more information about
blood sugar monitoring or
to download a blood glucose
journal, visit the American
Diabetes Association website
at www.diabetes.org.
For more information about
North Shore Medical Center's
Diabetes Center please
call 305-694-4844 or for a
physician referral, please call
1-800-984-3434.

Get ready for unique drinks

DON'T TAKE
FAINTING LIGHTLY
Fainting can occur for a number
of reasons, from feeling terror to
being dehydrated, a state in which
the body does not have as much
fluid or water as it should. In some
instances, fainting requires emer-
gency medical attention.
The ADAM Encyclopedia lists
these warning signs of dangerous
fainting:
Fainting and falling from
a height, particularly if there is
bleeding or other injury.
Not regaining alertness within
a few minutes.
Fainting when someone is
pregnant or has diabetes, or is
older than age 50.
Fainting accompanied by pain
or pressure in the chest.
Fainting accompanied by
changes in heartbeat or signs
of stroke, including changes in
speech, vision and the ability to
move both sides of the body.
Fainting that causes convul-
sions, an injury to the tongue or
the inability to control the bowels
or bladder.

Fast-food chains want to help you hydrate

By Bruce Horovitz

There's one thing more com-
mon to summer than sun-
burns and mosquitoes: goofy
drinks. This seasOn, everyone
from McDonald's to 7-Eleven
to Sonic has 'em.
The USA's biggest fast-food
makers have a trayload on tap
as they gear up for their most
crucial selling season. Bever-
ages are the industry's most
profitable menu item. But
their calorie counts espe-
cially in the ice-cream-based
drinks can be mind-bog-
gling.
"Think before you drink,"
says Hope Warshaw, regis-
tered dietitian and author of
Eat Out, Eat Right: The Guide
to Healthier Restaurant Eat-
ing. She suggests water, iced
tea or water with orange juice.
But that's not what most
thirsty folks want on a hot
day. "We've- been programmed
to be hydration maniacs," says
Christopher Muller, dean at

Boston University's School
of Hospitality Administra-
tion. "But we're also prone I
to want something more
exciting than water."
Brewing for spring and
summer:
SWeird Slurpees. In S
June, 7-Eleven will .
be slapping Slurpees '
into cups with dual
chambers, a special
valve and two straws
that let folks drink
one or two Slurpee
flavors at a time. One
in three customers at
7-Eleven buys a drink.
says Jesus Delgado-
Jenkins, SVP of marketing.
Lemonade twists. Mc-
Donald's in May is rolling out
McCaf6 Frozen Strawberry
Lemonade. Dairy Queen has
launched Lemonade Chillers
in regular and strawberry.
Mind-boggling shakes.
Sonic has plans in May for
a shake dubbed Double Stuf
Oreo Blast, whose ice cream

is made with Oreo cream fill-
ing. "It's flavored like the mid-
dle of an Oreo cookie," says
Danielle Vona, Sonic's CMO:0
Arby's rolls out a Jamocha
Oreo Shake in May. And
Slater this month, Jack in
the Box will bring back its
blackberry shake.
' Frozen Dew.
Dunkin' Donuts in
May is rolling out the
First Mountain Dew
Coolatta, a frozen slush
drink.
S Tropical Frap. Star-
bucks is bringing back
its Mocha Coconut Frap-
puccino on May 3 for a
Limited time.
Cake shakes. Cold
Stone Creamery in mid-
June will promote its Cake 'n
Shake, made with cake bat-
ter ice cream, milk and yellow
cake pieces.
Diet delights. In May,
KFC will become the first fast-
food chain to sell no-calorie
Pepsi Max. Subway is rolling
out Fuze fresh-brewed rasp-
berry iced tea.

Blacks struggle with shame and stigma ofHIV/AIDS

By Tamara E. Holmes

For years, Del'Rosa Winston-
Harris kept her HIV'diagnosis
a secret. When she was seek-
ing HIV/AIDS resources, she
says she went to places that
were outside of where she lived
so no one could identify her.
When a friend ran into her at
the hospital and asked why
she was there, she told them
she was having a checkup for
cancer. The 49-year-old Black
woman lived in fear. Biggest
concern was that I couldn't tell
anybody."
A fear of disclosing one's HIV
status is not unusual, since
there remains a stigma sur-
rounding HIV and AIDS that
is ingrained in American so-

city, says Bambi W. Gaddist,
Ph.D., the executive director of
the South Carolina HIV/AIDS
Council. Most people would
rather look the other way than
acknowledge how many people
are living with HIV, she said.
"After 30 years of AIDS, peo-
ple are still asking, 'Is AIDS a
problem?' And, unlike diseas-
es like cancer and Alzheimer's,
there's the often unspoken ra-
tionalization that those with
HIV brought the disease upon
themselves.
"HIV is a human immuno-
deficiency virus that's causing
a fight inside of my body, yet
people have made it about life-
style," said Elveth Bentley, 46,
of Atlanta. As a result, many
women hide their HIV status,

fearing that people will judge
them for having sex or suc-
cumbing to an addiction.
But AIDS activists are hop-
ing to change that. In March
SisterLove, an Atlanta-based
reproductive-health organiza-
tion that focuses on HIV/AIDS,
launched a mini-documentary
series called "Everyone Has a
Story" that features interviews
with Black women who have
HIV and who share the reali-
ties of life with the disease. The
documentary series is part of
the organization's 20/20 Lead-
ing Women's Society program
in which 2,020 HIV-positive
women will be trained during
the next decade to help women
across the world better man-
age their sexual and reproduc-

tive health.

THE POWER OF DISCLOSURE
Both Winston-Harris and
Bentley participated in the
documentary series, which
covers such experiences as
disclosing HIV status to fam-
ily members for the first time,
finding a support network and
dealing with strained family re-
lationships. While both women
are now more comfortable
sharing their status with loved
ones and strangers alike, the
documentary gives them an
even larger audience for their
stories.
Winston-Harris began the
process of disclosure after
watching a friend who'd kept
her diagnosis a secret die

alone. Realizing how isolating
the stigma of HIV could be, she
had an epiphany.
"The idea of dying alone is
one thing, but living alone is
another," she said. "I realized
somebody had to speak up and
let people know this is a dis-
ease that anyone can get."
For Bentley, the road to dis-
closure began as she noticed
how damaging shame could
be.
"You lose your sense of iden-
tity when you begin to buy into
the stigma," she said. "You let
the disease define you."
Since disclosing their HIV
status, both women say they
have felt empowered and seen
their lives improve. But they
believe there is also a political

benefit that comes with shar-
ing one's struggle with HIV.
"When we get more women
to do that, then we will see a
social movement like we've
seen with breast cancer," Gad-
dist said. "Until we get to
that, we'll never have a social
change. We'll never see finan-
cial investment in this issue
domestically."
For those who are struggling
to move past the stigma of
their diagnosis, Winston-Har-
ris and Bentley say it is impor-
tant to do the following: forgive
yourself; find purpose in your
story, and; know it's a process.
Disclosing your HIV status
will likely get easier over time,
but as Bentley says, "it's still
uncomfortable."

I

Heath

Sponsored by North Shore Medical Center
"Once You Know, It's Where To Go"
-j E ;

SYDNEY (AFP) Children who spend too much
time watching television increase the risk of heart
disease, high blood pressure and diabetes in later
life, an Australian study showed recently.
In what was declared world-first research, the
University of Sydney found that six- to seven-
year-olds who spent the most time watching
television had narrower arteries in the back of
their eyes.
This increased their chances of developing heart
disease, high blood pressure and diabetes when
they were older.
"Parents need to get their children up and mov-
ing and off the couch," said Dr Bamini Gopinath,
the lead author.
The study examined 1,500 six- and seven-year-
klds in 34 primary schools in Sydney.

Q
P .%, _- ./a m .4 ,,mOi- v

+ e
'. i.-e4 e ^a^

m r

P.
9_9 i *.'.- "
.. ., -'- * ''

VY2! I P. *
^ *...t .. .. .

On average, the children studied spent 1.9 .*
day in oga d p a l ~ivit.
S' *

just over an hour or more had significantly

*

cally active.

"We fOn average, thed children with a high level of physi-ent 1.9
day in organisactivity had physa more beneficial microvascularvity.
profile compared to those with the lowhighest levels of physical activity
just over an hour or more had significantly

physical activity," said Gopinath.
"This suggests unhealthy lifestyle factors may
influence microcirculation early in life and in-
crease the risk of heart disease and high blood
pressure later in life."
Please turn to TV 19B
Please turn to TV 19B

KEEP PROTEIN LEAN
Protein acts as fuel for your body and
gives you energy. But beware -- some pro-
tein sources are also high in fat.
The Cleveland Clinic mentions these
healthier protein options:
Poultry without the skin.
Lean cuts of meat and fish.
Vegetable protein or tofu.
Low-fat cheese, yogurt, milk and other
dairy products.

IS MY CHILD LACTOSE

INTOLERANT?
People who are lactose-intolerant can't
digest a sugar found in milk.
Could your child be among them? The
American Academy of Pediatrics says signs
of trouble digesting lactose may include:
Having stomach cramps.
Feeling bloated.
Complaining of gas.
Feeling nauseated.
S* Having diarrhea.
Symptoms usually begin within 30
minutes to two hours of drinking milk,
the academy says.

HELP FOOT

ULCERS HEAL
People with diabetes may develop sores
(ulcers) on the feet that may not heal
quickly or easily.
The American Podiatric Medical As-
sociation suggests how to help promote
healing and prevent infection of diabetic
foot ulcers:
* Try to avoid applying pressure to the
sore.
Have dead skin around the wound
removed.
Keep the wound clean and apply
medication as needed.
Control blood glucose levels.
Don't walk barefoot.
Protect the ulcer with a dressing or
bandage.

Keeping track of your blood glucose

By Dr. Moses Alade
Family Practitioner: North Sho
Medical Center

Monitoring blood gh
on a regular basis is
important if you have dia
because it can help you
healthy and prevent long-
complications of the dis
By tracking your blood s
you will be able to see how
exercise, stress, medical
and insulin affect your 1
glucose level. You can use
information to respond to
blood sugar (hyperglyc<

or low blood sugar
re (hypoglycemia) and
make the necessary
adjustments so you
ucose can feel your best.
very The American
betes Diabetes Association
stay recommends blood
*term glucose testing for
ease. anyone who has
ugar, diabetes and:
food, Takes insulin or
tions diabetes pills

Is pregnant or on intensive
insulin therapy
Has a difficult time
controlling blood glucose levels

-.

ALADE

ex
gl
ke
bl

bl
w.
wa

w,
bl
A

monitoring i
(SMBG). The
your average
the previol

* Has an period. This test should be
Ktremely low blood done at least twice a year,
ucose level or or more often if you have
tones from high elevated blood glucose or your
ood glucose levels treatment plan changes.
*Has a low The frequency and timing
ood glucose level of SMBG testing will depend
without the typical on the type of diabetes you
warning signs have, how well you can control
There are. two your blood sugar and your
ays to measure individual treatment plan as
blood glucose, the developed by your doctor. In
1C test and self- general, people with type 1
of blood glucose diabetes should check their
A1C test reveals blood sugar at least three
blood sugar over times a day. Those with type
us three-month Please turn to.GLUSCOSE 16B

Stress during pregnancy could result in fat kid

By Rachael Rettner

A mother's stress during preg-
nancy and breast-feeding may
prompt changes in her infant's
genes that increase the child's
risk of obesity later in life, accord-.
ing to a new study.
When mice in the study were
put under stress during pregnan-
cy, their offspring grew faster af-
ter weaning than did the offspring
of non-stressed mice. After two
months, the offspring of stressed

NORTH SHORE
Medical Center

mice developed belly fat and pre-
diabetes, a condition character-
ized by abnormally high blood
sugar levels.'
The researchers think the
mother's stress causes chang-
es in the way neuropeptide Y, a
brain neurotransmitter, behaves.
Neuropeptide Y stimulates appe-
tite and can induce the formation
and growth of fat cells. Stress may
cause modifications of the off-
spring's genes that increase the
activity of neuropeptide Y, and in

turn, increase the number of fat
cells in the body.
The number of fat cells a person
has before they reach their teen
years is a major determinant of
his or her risk for obesity, said
study researcher Ruijun Han,
of the University of Minnesota
Medical School's Department of
Integrative Biology and Physi-
ology. "So intervention during
pregnancy and childhood might
be an efficient way to prevent
adult obesity," Han said.

By Nanci Hellmich

Nearly nine out of 10 parents
say they're providing a healthy
home environment for their
children. In fact, they aren't, a.
new YMCA survey shows.
Most kids don't come close to
getting enough exercise daily
and don't eat enough fruits and
vegetables: 62 percent of 1,630
parents with children ages five
to 10 say their kids eat junk
food one to four days a week.
Only 14 percent of parents
say their kids eat at least five
fruits and vegetables a day.
These results shed light on
the reasons for the childhood
obesity epidemic. About a third
of children in the USA are over-
weight, which puts them at
higher risk for type 2 diabe-
tes, high cholesterol and other
health problems.
Even though 89 percent of
parents rate themselves good or
excellent in providing a healthy
Please turn to EXERCISE 19B

0B 1@Oi@MMIT fNTI Un DEwi

~&. -PL
i rnn~
"
~g3~j~

Kids lack exercise

and healthfulfoods

Taking a stroll

How often parents with
kids, ages five to 10, say
they go for a walk with their
children:
Less than one day a week
25%

1-2 days a week
33%

3-4 days a week
26%

5-6 days a week
12%

7 days a week
5%

*Note: Numbers do not add to 100 per-
cent due to rounding.
Source: YMCA survey of 1,630 parents

*lst

JJI'j~l.S J 1.J UJa~rs U SH'.^llli IJhf ,j'ii~- U-t~it6~iJLf ^ ljJ

!3U Je 4B AJM Y JJLIM J JUL

;.
1.;
:"
'.i

BLACKS M'ST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY

18B THE MIAMI TIMES. APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2011

MAY IS NATIONAL STROKE AWARENESS MONTH

As a FREE Community Service Program by North Shore Medical
Center, we are pleased to offer the following informative event:

Arlene Cameron, RN I

Stroke Program Coordinator

Public knowledge of stroke is low. Learn the signs, symptoms,
and risk factors associated with stroke. Simple prevention and
treatment education can reduce stroke incidence.
S SATURDAY, MAY 21ST

giving incentives for a broader
range of plans to improve," said
Medicare spokesman Brian
Cook.
Medicare covers seniors
and disabled people. About
one-fourth of beneficiaries
are signed up in Medicare Ad-
vantage plans that offer lower
out-of-pocket costs and more
comprehensive benefits than
the traditional program. Some
of the heaviest enrollment is in
politically contested states, in-
cluding Florida, Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Nevada, Minnesota and
Colorado.
The health care law cut $145
billion over 10 years from
Medicare Advantage, partly to
correct a widely acknowledged
problem with overpayments to
the plans. Those cuts start off
modestly in 2012 and build
up. Insurers were expected to
shift the burden to beneficia-

ries in the form of fewer ser-
vices and higher out-of-pocket
costs, triggering an exodus
back to traditional Medicare.
"The net result is that the
boat didn't get rocked," said
independent analyst Dan Men-
delson, president of the infor-
mation firm Avalere Health.
"It's fair to say that (Medicare)
could not tolerate dislocation,
given the political climate."
But Mendelson also said he
agrees with the administra-
tion that the new money will
get more plans thinking about
how to improve quality, if they
want to remain profitable.
"They are giving the plans
training wheels to improve
their quality," he said.
The health care law itself
tried to soften the impact of
Medicare Advantage cuts by
providing quality bonuses for
highly-rated plans that re-
ceived four or five stars in a
government grading system.
Then, in a policy shift qui-

etly completed this month,
HHS decided to grade on the
curve. Average-quality plans
garnering just three or three-
and-a-half stars would also
get bonuses, although at a
lower percentage than top-tier
plans.
The HHS decision means
four out of five Medicare Ad-
vantage enrollees are in plans
now eligible for a bonus. Un-
der the tougher approach Con-
gress took in the health care
law, only one in four would
have been in plans getting the
extra payments.
HHS' nearly $7-billion bo-
nus program is temporary. In
2015, the cuts called for in
the health care law will kick in
again.
Still, the episode could be
an early sign that Medicare
cuts used to finance much of
Obama's coverage expansion
for the uninsured will turn out
to be politically unsustainable,
as have other efforts to impose

austerity. For example, Con-
gress has routinely waived
cuts in Medicare payments to
doctors.
A nonpartisan agency that
advises lawmakers on Medi-
care criticized the bonus
plan. The Medicare Payment
Advisory Commission said it
amounts to "a mechanism to
increase payments" and its
design "sends the wrong mes-
sage about what is important
to the program and how im-
proved quality can best be
achieved."
At a time when government
is urging health care provid-
ers to improve quality and cut
costs, the bonus plan "lessens
the incentive to achieve the
highest level of performance,"
commission chairman Glenn
Hackbarth wrote to HHS of-
ficials. Medicare spokesman
Cook disagreed, saying even
plans that get two stars will
now have an incentive to im-
prove.

YMCA study reveals children aren't exercising enough

EXERCISE
continued from 17B

home environment, most say
they face serious roadblocks
to providing healthy lifestyles
for their kids, citing too many
competing activities especial-
ly social networks, computer
games, TV and cellphones.
"Parents have really good in-

tentions, but they are busy and
have a lot of distractions so
sometimes they make the easy
choice but not the best choice,"
says Lynne Vaughan, senior
vice president of the YMCA. The
group sponsored the survey to
celebrate its Healthy Kids Day
events Saturday.
Federal guidelines recom-
mend that children get an hour

or more of moderate to vigorous
aerobic activity a day, but 74
percent of parents surveyed
say their kids do not get that
much. Only 16 percent say
their kids are playing outside
daily.
Although two-thirds of par-
ents say they make time to play
with their children every day,
the most frequent leisure ac-

tivities are sedentary, such as
playing card or board games or
watching TV.
In fact, 46 percent say their
kids watch TV for at least two
hours five or more days a week.
Instead, Vaughan says fami-
lies should walk, dance or play
active games inside. That way,
healthy choices become family
traditions.

Future heart disease can occur in kids who watch TV

TV
continued from 17B

Gopinath, senior research
fellow at the Westmead Mil-
lennium Institute's Centre for
Vision Research, added that

excessive screen time leads
to less physical activity, un-
healthy dietary habits and
weight gain.
"Replacing one hour a day
of screen time with physical
activity could be effective in

buffering the effects of sed-
entary lifestyles on the retinal
microvasculature in children,"
he said.
"Free play should be promot-
ed and schools should have a
mandatory two hours a week

in physical activity for chil-
dren."
The study is reported this
week in Arteriosclerosis,
Thrombosis and Vascular Bi-
ology: Journal of the American
Heart Association.

at St. Agnes'
The Historic St. Agnes' Epis-
copal Church will hosts its
33rd Annual Youth Observance
sponsored by the ladies of St.
Scholastica's Chapter of the
Episcopal Church Women at
the 10:45 a.m. service, Sunday,
May 1.
The youth speaker is Miss
Elisha Postell who is a senior
at Miami Northwestern Senior
High School. She is the daugh-
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Dorian
(Shronda) Postell; the grand-
daughter of Ms. Carolyn Clear.

such as gym memberships or
smoking-cessation classes,
than provide more money for
health insurance, said Harvey
Fineberg, president of the In-
stitute of Medicine. And that
social support will be neces-
sary for behaviors to change.
Nease said such campaigns

have worked in the past,
when health groups and the
government encouraged seat-
belt use for children, and
created anti-smoking adver-
tisements. At the same time,
marketers began to "super-
size" products. "We made
smoking socially unaccept-
able," Nease said. "We have
done the exact opposite with
being overweight."

Thinking of you not just on
your birthday, but everyday.
We love and truly miss you!
Thomas, Harriet, Thomase-
na (Tina) and family.

In Memoriam

Julius Brown, 64, dies in South Carolina

Julius Brown, Sr. was born
January 9, 1945 in Miami. He
was the son of the late Rever-
end James and Sallie Brown.
He met and married Beverly
Hillman and to this union
three beautiful children were
born. He graduated from
Miami Northwestern Senior
High School in 1963. A chem-
ist by training and educa-
tion (BS degree in Chemistry
from Florida Atlantic Univer-
sity and Master's degree from
East Tennessee State Univer-
sity), his career included more
than 30 years in research and
teaching assignments at the
University of South Carolina
and Midlands Technical Col-
lege. Tennis and aviation were
beloved avocations. He was a
member of the USTA (United
States Tennis Association),
the ACS (American Chemical

Video game pioneer,

Gerald Lawson,

dies at 70

By Bruce Weber

Gerald A. Lawson, a largely
self-taught engineer who be-
came a pioneer in electronic
video entertainment, creat-
ing the first home video game
system with interchangeable
game cartridges, died recently
in Mountain
View, Calif.
He was 70 .
and lived in .

Calif.' ?
The cause -
was com- -.
plications
of diabetes,
said his wife,
Catherine. LAWSON
Before disc-based systems
like PlayStation, Xbox and Wii
transformed the video game
industry, before techno-diver-
sions like Grand Theft Auto and
Madden NFL and even before
Pac-Man and Donkey Kong be-
came the obsession of millions
of electronic gamers, it was
Lawson who first made it pos-
sible to play a variety of video
games at home.
In addition to his wife, whom
he married in 1965, Lawson is
survived by a brother, Michael,
of Queens, and two children,
Karen and Marc, both of Smyr-
na, Ga.
After he left Fairchild in 1980,
Lawson founded a company,
Videosoft, that created games,
and worked as a consultant.

Happy Birthday

In loving memory of,

In loving memory of,

GRADY LOWMAN
WILLIAMS

Little we knew that morn-
ing, God was going to call
your name.
In life we loved you dearly,
in death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose
you, you did not go alone, for
part of us went with you,

SYLVESTER ROLAND TATE, the day God called you
JR., 72, toll home.
technician, We love and miss you!
died April 21 at The Love and Mcqueen fam-
home. Service : lies.
2 p.m., Saturday f
in the chapel. .
PLACE YOUR

BABY BROWN, died April 25
at Homestead Hospital. Arrange-
ments are incomplete.

During the past several weeks, our readers might have no-
ticed that our obituary page has been shorter than usual. The
reason is not that the number of deaths in our community have
suddenly declined but because our newspaper is not getting the
information on all of the deaths.
For some reason, 14 of the 34 Black funeral homes have in-
formed The Miami Times that they will not submit any more
death notices to our newspaper for publication: Bain Range,
Gregg L. Mason, Range, D. Richardson, A. Richardson, Mitch-
ell, Jay's, Hall-Ferguson-Hewitt, Kitchens, Wright & Young, Pax
Villa, Stevens, Carey, Royal & Rahming and Royal.
This newspaper continues to publish all death notices sub-
mitted to us as a public service free of charge as we have been
doing for the past 88 years.
If your funeral home does not submit the information to us,
you may submit it on your own. Please consult our obituary
page for further information or call 305-694-6210.

Just follow these three easy steps

For 88 years as a community service, The Miami Times has paid
tribute to deceased members of the community by publishing
all funeral home obituaries free of charge. That remains our
policy today. We will continue to make the process an easy
one and extend this service to any and all families that wish to
place an obituary in The Miami Times.

1) Obituaries follow a simple format and must be in our office
no later than 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. All of this is free.

2) Like most publications, obituaries can be tailored to meet
your specific needs, including photographs, a listing of survi-
vors and extensive family information, all for additional charg-
es.

3) In order to make sure your information is posted correctly,
you may hand deliver your obituary to one of our representa-
tives. Obituaries may also be sent to us by e-mail (classified@
miamitimesonline.com) or fax (305-694-6211).

For additional questions or concerns, please call us at 305-
694-6210 and we will be happy to provide you with quality
service.

When Wayne Alphonso Brady. 39. was gro\ ing up under the
watchful eye of his grandmother in Orlando and making his way
at Phillips High School. he says he had dreams of one day becom-
ing an actor. But before becoming the Emmy-award w inning actor.
singer, comedian and television personality seen everywhere from
his own daytime talk show to Whose Line Is It An\ way?. Let's Nlake
a Deal and The Drew Carey Show, Brady had to put in countless
hours of practice. make the big move to L.A. and do his time on
improve stages big and small.
"I grew up in a bad neighborhood but had goals set in front of me
that helped guide me out of trouble," he said. "But Orlando was
still a great town ] worked at Disney as Tigger for one of my first
jobs."
Brady includes the caveat that he was so determined to be the
best Disney character ever that on his first day on the job, he he
became so hyped up in the parade that he "passed out."

WON'T HURT

By Kurt Helin
Because the roughly 325 Kar-
dashian family reality shows on El
were not enough...
We bring you "Khloe & Lamar."
The Lakers star and his Kardashi-
an wife of the last year and a half
now have their own reality show,
which airs Sundays on El.
You know you want to watch the
opening credits. Admit it. It's right
at the bottom of this story, go and
enjoy. Then you'll probably feel
dirty and need to take a shower,
but watch it anyway. What we
learn from the opening sequence
is this show is clearly going to be
heavily scripted. How do we know?

By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com

Luther Vandross first became a household
name after his first solo album, Never Too
Much, debuted in 1981, selling two million
copies mostly because of the single "A House is
Not a Home" a song which had actually been
sung years earlier by one of his closest friends,
Dionne Warwick.
Vandross would have been 60-years-old last
Wednesday, April 20.

He died at the age
of 54 in a New Jersey
medical facility due
to complications from
a 2003 stroke from
which he never fully
recovered. He had long
struggled with weight
problems, diabetes
(which was the cause of
his father's death when
he was just five) and

VANDROSS

hypertension.
At the time of his death, the talented and
prolific vocalist had just reached the pinnacle
of his career, recently completing, Dance With
My Father, which became his only album to
make #1. In 2004, while still in convalescence,
he hit it big winning four Grammy Awards
including Song of the Year for the same track
Dance with My Father, co-written by Richard
Marx.
Vandross sold over 25 millions albums
Please turn-to VANDROSS 2C

.-

HOMETOWN OF ORLANDO

"I'M AN ACTOR THAT HAPPENS TO DO COMEDY"
Some may be unaware that Brady has shown he can cut it with
the big boys, portraying the role of lawyer Billy Flynn in a Broadway
revival of Chicago, guest starring on the Sci Fi Channel's hit series
SG-1 even appearing on Chappelle's Show where he made fun
of his super clean boy persona. Sometimes he finds himself in the
strange position of defending himself for staying clear of the kinds of
negative press, bad habits and poor decisions that have saddled many
Black performers.
"When Black people try to measure Blackness it is ridiculous to
me." he said, responding to one often-cited comment that whites love
him because he makes Bryant Gumble look like Malcolm X. "When
I wake up in the morning I am Black; I was raised Black. Personally
I have no problem with Bryant who has never claimed to be militant
and is a "bizillionaire.' I'm doing pretty well for myself too. If that
makes me any less Black ... oh well.
In terms of those whom he seeks to emulate. Brady cited Whoopi
Goldberg and Billy Crystal.
Please turn to BRADY 6C

AR"

THE LAKERS

Odom spins to his right in the
credits. Odom never goes right.
Ever. Someone had to write that
for him. And it probably took five
takes.
For Lakers fans, who just
..' watched their team lose to the
rather sad Jazz and Warriors
on consecutive nights, the show
can be a bit of a touchstone. Is
". Lamar's extra curricular work
-- which brings more cameras
around the Lakers for practices
and after games good for the
team?
Relax, Lakers fans. If the Lak-
Sers lose in the playoffs, "Khloe &
Lamar" will not be the cause.
:: Please turn to ODOM 6C

Who's your

daddy?

TV's best

Black men

By Tonya Pendleton

Fathers are a premium in the Black community,
even if they're not always around. On TV, there
are depictions of Black fathers who are repre-
senting good dads in a way we've never seen
before. Some of these stellar examples of
fatherhood may have influenced a whole gen-
eration by showing both the joys and pains of
being a family man.
Here's a list of our very favorite TV dads.

JAMES
AVERY: Philip .
"Uncle Phil"
Banks on "The
Fresh Prince of
BelI-Air"
w- W while ,t v 1'
he wasn't
"-- series'star
Will Smith's dad, as an uncle, he
acted as a fatherly figure for the
Philadelphia-based teen once
he moved to Bel-Air. A prominent
judge, Uncle Phil had his own
three children Ashley, Carlton
and Hilary. The great thing about
Uncle Phil is that he showed that a Black
man could be wealthy based on his own merits. He
asked for and received his respect.

TERRY CREWS: Him-
Sself on "The Family Crews,"
S Julius Rock on "Everybody
SHates Chris," Nick Kingston-
SPersons on "Are We There
Yet?"
Terry Crews stays playing
TV fathers, and usually,
they're the same kind of
guy even when playing himself on "The Family
Crews." He's usually the hapless dad who's run
over by the women and children in his life, but
maybe that's because he's always surrounded by
strong women. In real life, it's Rebecca Crews, his.
wife of 22 years, with whom he has three daugh-
ters. Now, here's a guy who ought to write a book
about understanding women.

REVEREND JOSEPH
"RUN" SIMMONS: Him-
self on "Run's House"
Best known as the "Run"
in Run DMC, now Joseph
Simmons is better known as
dad to Angela, Vanessa, Joe
Jr., Diggy, Russy and Miley.
"Run's House" on MTV
was one of the first popular Black family reality
shows. Run's passion for his family, as well as his
scripture-based advice, won him and his family a
legion of fans during the show's six-season run.
What we loved about Run was that he showed that
fatherhood was a balanced mixture of love and dis-
cipline, with a lot of fun and good times thrown in.

\ 1 and their daughters, Claire
.. and Kady, and son, Junior.
The show explored the ups
and downs of fatherhood with comedy that was
often rooted in the crazy things that kids say and
do. What Kyle showe, his audience is that being
a father can be great, as long as you never take it
too seriously.

The celebration of marriage
uniting Jennifer Lynne
Tribue and Corey Marc Isaac
brought family members and
friends to Paradise Banquet
Hall, last Saturday.
Jim People, saxophonist,
began the ceremony by
playing "Always and Forever"
by Luther Vandross for the
entrance of uncle Dwight and
aunt Mitty Coleman, Delores
Jones, mother of the bride
and Cassandra Sailor Harrell,
mistress of ceremony and sister
of the bride. The music, "Closer"
was played, which included the
entrance of Reverend James
L. Pacley, officiant, the groom
and Charles Lee, best man.
The bridal party included
bridesmaids / groomsmen:
Sonya Neal and Terrance
Hunt, Nikkia Riley and
Dwight Hudson, Janice
Tribue, maid of honor; Unique
Isaac, grooms's daughter
and Ty'Loa Radford, junior
bridesmaids; and Joseph
Adams, Jr. and Dejuan Riley,
junior groomsmen; B'rabra
Haggins, flower girl; Jeremiah
Haggins, ring bearer, Kejuana
Williams, Ja'vael Cody and
Deion Bailey, hostess and
ushers.
As the music "Those Goes
My Baby" was played, the bride
entered from her Rolls Royce,
They participated in a prayer
from Pastor Pacley, lighting of
unity candles, exchanging of
vows and jumping the broom.

The reception -Al
fol lowed
with Harrell
presenting Mr.
and Mrs. Corey
Isaac to perform
their first dance to "Share My
Life" by Kem. Following the
dancing, Pastor Pacely blessed
the food and dinner and dancing
began until the newlyweds
left for the honeymoon to Las
Vegas. Before leaving, they took
the time to acknowledge family
members and friends.

Under the leadership of
T. Eilene Martin-Major,
president, Veronica Rahming,
president-elect, all officers and
members, the Egelloc Civic
and Social Club presented the
42nd annual Men of Tomorrow
(MOT), last Sunday, under
the theme: "Celebrating Our
Heritage and Fulfilling the
Dream," at the James L. Knight
Center, downtown Miami.
Rahming and her committee
rehearsed multiple times with
the 11th graders in preparation
of the event. After the entrance
of the MOT, Martin-Major,
Rahming, Lisa Johnson-
Jenkins, parent leader;
Mary Dunn, past president
and Josephine D. Rolle
delivered the occasion, parents
reflection, acknowledgements,
and presentation of special
MOT.
Rochelle M. Lightfoot,
chairperson, Showcase of

?L

Talent and Awards presented
Matthew Cine as the third
place winner. who played an
English solo to the delight of
the audience; Dexter Foster
won second place drawing a
portrait of his brother before
the audience and Curtis
Holland won first place
tapping to James Brown "Get
it."
Other awards included
Gloria H. Clausell handing
out the Black Heritage Awards
to honorable mention Darrius
A. Williams, Ezell L. Gordon,
Charleston A. Jenkins and
Holland. First place went
Juwon W. Dames; second
place to Christopher Wallace;
and third place to Imir M. Hall.
Vera P. Purcell, chairperson
gave out the Essay
Awards. Honorable .
mention went to Juwon
W. Dames, Richard L.
Barry II, Williams and
Wallace. First place
went to Holland, second
place went to Hall and
third place went to
Khambrel T. Dawkins. W|
Kudos go out to Nadine
V. Baxter for recognizing the
young MOT for delivering their
entrepreneurship via ads. They
included honorable mention
to Marcus L. Anderson,
Hall, Vernon T. Kineard,
Barrington F. Jennings, while
first place went to Carleston
A. Jenkins, second place went
to Dawkins and third place
went to Barry II.
Speaking of awards, the
Christina M. Eve Scholarship
Award was presented by
Josephine M. Davis-Rolle,
and one of the recipients was

Brandon Thomas. followed by
receivership of certificates to all
of the young MOT. The honor
was given to Constance L.
Carter and Mary W. Saunders.
Presenters Lightfoot and Mary
Ann Thomas-McCloud had
the honor of introducing the
honorees parents and female
guests.
The, presentation from
many days of hard work came
to fruition when the young
men were allowed to listen
to the former MOT of their
lethargic demonstration of
what they had to do. A special
commendation goes out to
President Martin-Major
who joined the former MOT,
while reminding them of the
significance of the program.
During Rahming's
closing remarks, she
alluded to her sisters
in the organization
Sfor their hard work,
cohesiveness and
concern for program
quality. She even
took the time to
HYMS congratulate Dr.
Richard J. Strachan
and the Psi Phi Band for the
choreography and music
during the program.

Dwight and Sylvia Perkins
celebrated 30'years of a marital
bliss, last Saturday, in their
backyard. Diane Margett and
her fabulous ladies kept the
guests munching and drinking
from the open bar handled by
Larry and Charles Reese.
The out-of-towners included
Eugene and Alberta Spann,
Thomas and Connie, Rev.
Henry and Sharon Porter,

Heartn convUratulAtiron -
goes out to Ashley Marion
Young (myic Li.isiril. dadihterr
of Jeffrey and Olga Nottage
Young, who will graduate on'
Saturday, May 14 from Lamar
University in Beaumont,
"Tekas. Ashley will receive a
Bachelor of Science degree
in Fashion Merchandising.
Congratulations to Ashley
and her proud parents.
Wedding anniversary
greetings go out to the
following couples: Wilfred
and Julie B. Edwards, their
12th on April 17; Gregory and
Shelly S. Powers, their 21st
on April 21.
Benjamin McNamee came
down for one day to visit
Cupidine D. Dean and the
whole clan. So sorry that
I missed seeing you last
Saturday godson. Next time, I
will try to be home.
Get well wishes and our
prayers goes out to all of you.
May you all soon return to good

Yoiu rma refm-miber Darir .
Rucker as the lead \oi:.3lit ':I
the 90s poip-rock band Hiu-
u~e g the BloAfish, but in the
last few years, he's broken
from his rock roots, dabbled
in R&B and made a smooth
transition as a solo artist into
country music. Rucker's 2008
debut country album. 'Learn
to LI'.e. produced I. ire i.t n-
se'CLutii numLber-one hiils in-
cl.ding Din t Thinkl i Don r
Think Ab.'iut ir and -.irnerr-d
him the Top N'% Artist .,, ardj
a: the 4.3rd ,nnIlal .-\iad i'.
o:' Cc'unItr;, Mlu :.. '.'. rj, I'L

-'I." |'.:. TI Li_ '-:":I t:. I r.,,: 'k *:'i:,' -
t.I 1ii: t,.! -r. IIk 3 l., :,b i it h iiisit
ai i:l It i.te-r
How do you feel about be-
ing compared to the legend-
ary Charlie Pride?
Darius Rucker: Anytime I'm
mentioned in relation to Char-
lie Pride, I think it's awesome.
Are you -still in contact
with your band mates from
Hootie and the Blowfish,
and have you considered in-
viting them to collaborate
with you on some country
tunes?
DP -r,, '.'.,: ,i.,.t p- !,rrr.-lh

dla ,: i .l T,;..:. -,:.l ,. -.: O l-i|,

Athens, Greece; Turkey and
Israel. They were elated to
explore Rome, Galilee, the
Mount of Beatitudes, Ancient
Olympia, Church of the Holy
Sepulcher, Garden Tomb,
Garden of Gethsemane and
the Jordan River, where three
in their party were baptized.
The group told me they will
remember this unforgettable
experience.
Etta Robinson of Orlando,
is in our city visiting her
mother-in-law, Francina
Lewis-Robinson and brother-
in-law Walter Lewis and their
family. Etta, is also visiting
old college friends Anthony
and Juanita Armbrister who
are celebrating their 42nd
wedding anniversary on April
25. Congratulations dear
friends and welcome to Miami,
Etta!
Jean Robinson-Jackson,
niece of Francina and Walter
Lewis is also in Miami to speak
for her Booker T. Washington
Class of 1965 reunion and
the B.T.W. "Legends" at the
Embassy Suites Hotel. Jean
is the daughter of the late
Hortense and Theodore

Robinson.
Miss Elisha Laurie Postell,
a fifth generation member of
Saint Agnes Church and a
graduating senior at Miami
Northwestern Senior High
School will be our 2011 Youth
Day speaker. Stay tuned for
the date!
On May 22, Saint Agnes
Guild of Episcopal Church
women will present our annual
Feminine Emphasis Day! Our
speaker this year will be Ms.
Tammy Lester, associate
minister of Greater Bethlehem
of Miami. Lester, is a graduate
of South Miami High School
and is a 21-year correction
officer. Miranda Albury is
the Feminine Emphasis Day
chairman and Julie Edwards
is co-chairman. Please visit
us on May 22 and hear this
dynamic speaker!
To all of the newly made
sorors of Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority Inc. who joined our
sisterhood, welcome! May
you enjoy Delta Sigma Theta
Sorority as much as I and
your other sisters are enjoying
the best and greatest (to us)
D.S.T.

country music
. V i 'r.- '.:.,.iple ofl t. i'n s to- '.
K Ietl ier !,:r m ', l -.t rC.:'.rd it
di.in t m.-k ir, but I in sure a
couple :lof us a_ ill i'rite a song
that ,'-. i mak-: one of mi re-
cords. i actually lu all our
songs; they're like you.:r kids.
Who are some musicians
you admire and feel have in-
fluenced your music?
DR: My biggest influence
is 41 Green, and also Kennw
i-,,,i-rs its hulg-e iri.luenc.- im n-
rhat pi :' oi he: I l'-', ei
,.u i I ,' .. u i .r' a r ::ords

throughout his career and
was known for such hits as
"Don't Want to be a Fool" and
"Here and Now." He won eight
Grammy Awards, including
Best Male R&B Vocal Perfor-
mance four times and was also
ranked #54 on Rolling Stone
Magazine's List of 100 Greatest
Singers of All Time.
Vandross was born April
20, 1951 in New York to two
singers and grew up in the
Bronx. He began singing back-
up for such superstars as Di-
a'na Ross, Carly Simon, Chaka

Khan, Donna Summer, Bette
Midler and Barbara Streisand.
However, it wasn't until 1980,
when Vandross was 29-years-
old that he would take center
stage while singing with the
band, Change.
Vandross would joke during
his stage performances about
the early days when he was the
"jingle king," singing on com-
mercials for businesses from
Kentucky Fried Chicken to
McDonald's. Recently, Jacob
Lusk turned in an emotional
performance for 21st Century
Songs week on American Idol
when he chose Dance With My
Father by Luther Vandross.

DADS "The Bernie Mac Show"
continued from 1C The late, great Bernie Mac
wasn't technically a father on
Cliff Huxtable re- "The Bernie Mac Show;" the
mains one of televi- -- -- kids were his nieces
sion's most iconic fa- and nephew. But he
others, and there are raised them nonethe-
people who i..r. 1...:,l -a!. less, thus standing in
learned how to raise ..- ., for all the men raising
their children just by children who aren't
watching the show. '-'. their ovn from step-
While Cosby insisted children to adoptive
that the show be ed- M children to uncles
ucationa, he never AC like himself. Mac gave
skimped on the humor, mak- them a voice, as he chronicled
ing"The Cosby Show" the very his ir '. .-1. to stay on top of
best of both worlds. the three charges. We miss
Bernie M-c: Himself on you, Bernie.

'Let's Stay Together' added to

National Recording Registry

By The Associated Press '

WASHINGTON '- There are
probably a lot of people walking
the earth who were conceived
to it and now Al Green's song
"Let's Stay Together" is getting
another bit of recognition. It's
among the 25 songs that will be
added this year to the National
Recording Registry of the Li-
brary of Congress.
The library describes Green's
sound as one that features a
"sleek delivery" and "an under-
'stated delivery with occasional
climbs to a casual, pure fal-
setto." Or as they used to call it
back in the day, baby-making
music.
Other songs on the. list in-
clude the country music classic:
"Stand By Your Man" by Tammy

Al Green
Wynette, the Steely Dan album
"Aja" and Henry Mancini jazz-
infused theme from the TV show
"Peter Gunn."

U I

ANGELA
BASSETT

"i :

PAULA LAZ ET T, MIKE
PATTON ALONSO DEVINE A""EPPS

JUMPING

TEBROOM

SOMETIMES THE ONLY WAY TO GET PAST FAMILY DRAMA...
IS TO JUMP RIGHT OVER IT.

Funeral Home. This was a
celebration never to be erased
from the minds of the guests.
It lasted until around 3 a.m.
Congratulations to the couple
for many more years of bliss.

The demise of Kevin Dwain
Whyms touched the heart
and souls of family members,
members of Ebenezer UMC
and members of Living a
Believers Life Evangelistic
Tent Ministries. So shocking
were the people upon learning
of his fatal death, the Police
Department had to block off
three streets around the home
to facilitate the crowds until
the day after the funeral.
Kevin was popular among his
International Longshoremen
Brothers, just like his father,
Alexander, who got him ready
for the position.
It was also evident when his
three sons: Eric, Dwain and
Chad captivated the full house
and balcony talking about their
dad and how he raised them.
Lady Angela Tillman followed
by ministering in song, along
with Minister Joann Brooking,
Minister William Clark and
The Anointed ministering to
the delight of the audience.
Rev. Gaston Smith had the
honor of delivering the "The
Words of Comfort."
Kevin will 'be missed by
his wife, Pastor Carolyn
D. Whyms, Ruth Wyms,
mother; sons Eric, Dwain and
Chad, Gerald and Sandra
Robinson, Angelique Leroy
Mozone, Latronda and Moses
Robinson, and a host of
brothers, nieces, nephew, and
neighbors.

Patina Miller, right, performs Deloris' lounge act with Alena Watters, left, and
Rashidra Scott before she's sent to hide out as a nun.

'Sister Act'

MOST ENTERTAINING NUNS, BAR NONE

By Elysa Gardner

History has taught us that
there are few subjects as po-
larizing as religion. But a few
current Broadway produc-
tions suggest otherwise.
.This season's two most win-
ning new musicals to date
both put faith in the forefront
with a mixture of satire and
sweetness that can be em-
braced by the pious and non-
believers alike.
The latest entry, Sister Act:
A Divine Musical Comedy
(***V2out of four), may be less
giddily profane, and thought-
provoking, than The Book
of Mormon, but it has its
own distinct and surprising
charms.
Based on the 1992 film, Sis-
ter Act, which opened recently
at the Broadway Theatre, fol-
lows the adventures of a de-
cidedly secular woman who

takes refuge in a convent.
On screen, Whoopi Goldberg
played Deloris Van Cartier, a
Reno lounge singer forced to
pose as a nun to elude a mur-
derous boyfriend. After some
predictable awkwardness, our
heroine found her footing by
leading the choir, having her
sisters give praise in a funk-
ier fashion that rattled their
Mother Superior but brought
fame to their church.
The Broadway musical can-
nily relocates Deloris to 1978
Philadelphia, home to the
lush, sensuous breed of R&B
that had by that time paved
the way for the disco move-
ment. Composer Alan Menken
and lyricist Glenn Slater pro-
vide original tunes that nod
cheekily, but with genuine af-
fection, to that pop era while
also propelling the story with
a style and exuberance spe-
cific to well-crafted musical

theater.
Librettists Cheri and Bill
Steinkellner, enlisting addi-
tional material from Doug-
las Carter Beane, adapt the
screenplay with disarming
wryness. It helps that the
nimble veteran Jerry Zaks
directs, .and that his cast in-
cludes such reliable enter-
tainers as Victoria Clark,
pitch-perfect as the prickly
but warmhearted Mother Su-
perior, and Fred Applegate, as'
the more funk-friendly monsi-
gnor.
Patina Miller is a credible,
endearing leading lady, giv-
ing this Deloris the right mix
of sugar and spice. Chester
Gregory is similarly likable as
the police officer who becomes
her love interest, while Sarah
Bolt and Marla Mindelle lend
more goofy humor and pluck
as the habited Deloris' sisters
in arms.

Sugar Ray

Leonard's

autobiography

due in June

By Tonya Pendleton

Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard's big-
gest fights were outside the ring,
according to his new autobiogra-
phy, "The Big Fight: My Life In and
Out of the Ring," which is due out
in June.
The champion- ;
ship boxer may
not have fared
so well on the hit
competition show,
"Dancing With
The Stars" he
was eliminated LEONARD
recently but he's
used to succeeding against the
odds. "The Big Fight" details Leon-
ard's upbringing in Washington,
D.C., as he earned a reputation as
a talented boxer, culminating in a
gold nmedal in the 1976 Olympics.
The now 54-year-old boxing
champion achieved much success
in his professional career, defeat-
ing Hall of Fame boxers Thomas
Hearns, Roberto Duran, Wilfredo
Benitez and Marvin Hagler in now-
classic battles.
But Leonard struggled with fame
and fortune a considerable one,
as he was one of the first boxers to
win over $100 million in purses -
and he writes about it all candidly
in his book. Like many other ath-
letes of his caliber, he had also is-
sues with money, women, drugs
and alcohol, as well as the shadi-
ness of the boxing world. Accord-
ing to "The Big Fight's" reviewers,
* Leonard doesn't spare himself in
ths book and is surprisingly honest
about his own personal challenges.
Since his retirement, Leonard has
kept busy, appearing on several TV
sitcoms. Recently, he appeared as
himself in the movie "The Fighter,"
and as Khloe Kardashian's real-life
godfather, has also been on "Keep-
ing Up With The Kardashians."
"The Big Fight" goes on sale June
:7.

M.(.K' Ml'T COTROL. [HEIR ( \ [)-l\l

Once you know, there's

only one place to go.

Perhaps you've been running all over town to save

a little bit here and a little bit there. When all the

time, you could save just as much at Publix, and

enjoy the shopping experience, too. So relax-we've

got you covered. Go to publix.com/save right

now to make plans to save this week.

er-wto save here.

3C THE MIAMI TIMES, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2011

KARRINE STEFFANS GETS ANOTHER RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST EX
Darius Mccrary's ex-wife Karrine "Superhead" Steffans has been granted an-
other restraining order against the actor over allegations he attempted to make
contact with her, according to TMZ.
Last year, the "Young and the Restless" star was ordered to stay away from his
estranged wife after she accused him of domestic abuse.
The former "video vixen" recently went back to court to apply for another re-
straining order against the TV star amid claims he showed up at her house and sent
her an email, TMZ reports.
Steffans filed papers at Los Angeles County Superior Court and was subsequently
granted the request.

PHOTOGRAPHER SUES DIDDY AND HIS BODYGUARDS
Celebrity photographer Jabari Tilgham, 30, has filed a lawsuit against Sean "Did-
dy Combs, his company Bad Boy and four of his bodyguards, claiming that he was
beat up at a party co-hosted by the rap mogul.
According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Tilgham was one of only 12 pho-
tographers allowed inside Club Mansion in Atlanta for an event hosted by Diddy and
Rick Ross. He claims that Diddy's personal bodyguards singled him out and beat
him up.
In the lawsuit, Tilgham's lawyer says that a security guard who worked for the
club signed an affidavit confirming his story. The suit was filed recently in DeKalb
County State Court.

ROC NATION SUED BY APPAREL COMPANY
Jay-Z has learned that his record label and management company, Roc Nation,
was named in a new lawsuit.
California-based skate apparel company Volcom is suing Roc Nation for trade-
mark infringement, claiming that the Nation's logo is too close to the one owned
by, and historically associated with, the Volcom brand. Both logos are five-sided
diamond silhouettes.
The diamond symbol is of particular significance to Jay-Z, and represents an allu-
sion to the "Roc" in Roc Nation as well as Roc-a-Fella, the record label and clothing
line, on which he built his name. Fans, of course, know the symbol well and fre-
quently throw up its related hand sign at the rapper's concerts.
Volcom, which owned the diamond trademark several years before Roc Nation's
incorporation in 2008, overlooked its use when explicitly accompanying the words
"Roc Nation." But now, as alleged in the lawsuit, the music imprint is attempting to
brand itself using the symbol alone. '

BLACKS MU'ST CONTROL. 1 HEIR \OWN\ DE1TIN)

4C :'I:'1 -.-" APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2011

Chill out with

cool watermelon treats

FAMILY FEATURES

~ai~

* Watermelon has
higher concentrations
of lycopene than any
other fresh fruit or
vegetable.

* Watermelon is
naturally low in
saturated fat, total
fat and cholesterol

here's nothing quite like juicy,
fresh watermelon to cool you
off on a hot summer day.
Whether you want to give the
kids a refreshing, healthy snack
or wow guests with a watermelon
showpiece at a backyard barbecue,
these recipes serve up great taste
and good nutrition all summer long.
For more tasty ways to
make a summer splash, visit www.
watermelon.org.

*A 2-cup serving of water-
melon is an excellent
l source of vitamins A and
1. C and a good source of
vitamin B-6.

,'A ,

P- ^ 3 ^..

-.' .

Id. c

.p

Ei Wash watermelon under cool running water and pat dry.
', Placing watermelon on its side, cut off the bottom end
1/4 to 1/2 inch so it can stand flat on its end. Be careful not
to cut too deep into the white part of the rind this would
allow liquid to leak from bottom of carving.
Stand watermelon on cut end. With dry erase marker, draw
a line about 1/3 of the way down from the top, around the
whole watermelon.
Pick a point on the line and find the corresponding point
on the exact opposite side of the watermelon. From those
points measure 1 inch to the right and to the left. Connect
those points by drawing two parallel lines across the top
forming the shape of the handle.
Use paring knife to cut along lines, being careful to not
break or crack handle. For best results, hold paring knife like
a pen, but only cut half way into rind. Once you complete that
first cut all the way around, go back and cut the rest of the
way through the rind. Doing the cut in two steps will ensure
a cleaner line and smoother cuts.
Carefully remove trimmed rind and flesh. Try to remove as
much as possible in large portions that can later be sliced and
used with the cookie cutters.
Scoop out remaining flesh from base, trying to leave as
much flesh intact. Remove it in larger pieces that can be used
for making watermelon balls or bite-sized chunks.
Take knife and carve a channel about 1 to 2 inches from top
edge, creating rim of bucket.
Take the large removed pieces and trim off rind. From flesh,
cut rectangles about 1/2 inch thick.
Using cookie cutters, cut shapes from watermelon. To create
light colored shapes, use slices of honeydew melons, or cut
decorative pieces from white part of watermelon rind. Set
aside and drain on paper towel.
With remaining fruit, make either cubes or balls and drain.
Toss with other cut fruit and berries and fill bucket.
Decorate top of bucket with cut watermelon shapes and
new, clean toys and shovels. Use light colored cake mix to
resemble sand.

Watermelon
Beach Party
1 watermelon can be seeded
or seedless
Cutting board
Kitchen and paring knives
Pencil or thin marker
Large bowl and spoon or ice
cream scoop
Blue gelatin
Small plastic container
Small beach themed items
Gummy fish
Using an oblong seedless water-
melon, cut a 1/4-inch slice off the
bottom to provide a stable base.
Draw lines in a wave design
with a sharp pencil or thin marker
approximately one half of the way
up and all the way around the
watermelon.
Scoop out the flesh with an ice
cream scoop or a large spoon, and
reserve for salad.
Chill gelatin in a small plastic
container to make a pool of "water"
and place in the watermelon bowl.
Fill in around the "water" with fruit
salad cut into fun shapes and balls.
Arrange toys toward the edge of
the watermelon bowl. Garnish sides
with drink umbrellas and plastic
palm tree swizzle sticks, and add
gummy fish to complete the scene.

How to choose
a watermelon
Look for a firm, symmetrical
watermelon that is free from
bruises, cuts or dents.
The watermelon should be
heavy for its size.
The underside of the
watermelon should have a
creamy yellow spot from
where it sat on the ground
and ripened in the sun.

Did
you
know?

I'.f
$:.*
\yeB:' *s-
"*'?--.~
S~..^; :

`i'

;j
~`'..?

x
f ''. '

er

slu

dor.

Le Riami Eimens

LAVI

HAIT

j4 r
'- JF

AYIS YEN

I A N LI FE

-i .

1

S .'. LO DA, .-:LR l, 27- MAY 3, 2011

t illll

i, ,;/' I1I I '-i
,,- i
i-Iotl

.1
... \ ",
.,;Y i '.'" ..
,, ,1;, ,-':.
- ( "- t ,"* ,

.. .

t i
il [," '

Housing assistance

in Little Haiti

Association helps new homeowners

By Randy Grice
rgrice@miamitimesonline.com

Affordable housing can be difficult
to come by in a tough economy. Com-
munities across the nation are suf-
fering, but relief is being given to the
Little Haiti area in the form of com-
munity development. The Little Haiti
Housing Association, Inc. (LHHA) is
one of the leaders in this effort. The
mission of the LHHA is simply to
provide affordable housing as a base
for an improved quality of life for the

I.

residents of Little Haiti and neigh-
boring communities. To date, LHHA
has a zero percent default rate on the
financing 275 homeowner families
have received. Samuel Diller, execu-
tive director of the association said
he believes the LHHA is making a big
impact on the Little Haiti community.
"Most of the clients who come in
our doors do so on the basis of word-
of-mouth referrals," he said. "And as
staff all have workloads straining to
the point of breaking, I believe we are
Please turn to HOUSING 10D

-Photo courtesy of LHHA
Pastor Jacques St. Louis, director of Housing, assisting new owners in
cutting the ribbon with then City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz.

Acquitted man

denied U.S. entry

for son's funeral

Miami Times Staff Report
A Haitian man that was tried and acquitted
of terrorism has been denied admittance into
the U.S. to attend the funeral of his teenage
son who was hit and killed by a vehicle on
1-95. Lyglenson "Levi" Lemorin, 36, accused
terrorist and the father of 15-year-old Luken-
son "Lil Luke" Lemorin, had to watch his son's
funeral via Skype earlier last week. Lemorin
was forced to rely on technology to connect
him to the heartbreaking scene unfolding LEMORIN
hundreds of miles away inside of a Liberty City church. The
service was held at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.
Lemorin, a Haiti native who lived in Miami most of his life,
has been on a painful journey since his arrest in June 2006
on terrorism charges. With his acquittal, then his eventual
deportation back to Haiti, the country he left 24 years ago
when he moved with his family to Miami. Lemorin was a
member of the Miami-Dade group that later became known
as the Liberty City Seven, who federal investigators charged
in a highly publicized terrorism case accusing them of con-
spiring with al-Qaeda to blow up the Sears Tower in Chi-
cago and other federal buildings in Miami. The indictment
was built on a sting operation, with a government informant
playing the role of an al-Qaeda financier directed by the FBI.
Investigators said the seven defendants took an oath to the
terrorist group.
A Miami federal jury decided that Lemorin had distanced
himself from the group, which worked together in a stucco
Please turn to FUNERAL 6C

Human rights

Rep. Campbell

group presses for takes a stand in

Duvalier trial District 108

By Moni Basu
Haiti has an opportunity to ad-
dress the worst crimes of its past
in prosecuting former dictator "
Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, ,'
a leading human rights monitoring
agency said. It is pressing for a full
investigation and subsequent trial
and urges the international com-
munity to lend resources to help
fill gaps in Haiti's legal system.
"The Duvalier trial could be the ".' -.. -
most important criminal case in :.-:'a ,
Haitian history," said Reed Brody, :'
counsel for Human Rights Watch. JEAN-CLAUDE DUVALIER
"The challenges for Haiti's weak
justice system to carry out affair
trial are enormous, but international support can help Haiti
meet those challenges."
In Quebec, Canada home to about 100,000 Haitians a new
effort was launched to help victims of the Duvalier era to step
forward with their stories. A newly formed survivors group,
the Committee Against Impunity and for Justice in Haiti,
plans to gather testimony that could be used as evidence in a
potential criminal case.
"Certainly, it is difficult for anybody who suffered," said
Matt Eisenbrandt, legal counsel for the Canadian Centre for
International Justice, which is working on the project. "But
there are many people who feel the need for justice.".
Please turn to TRIAL 6C

Campbell one
offew Haitian-
Americans in
Florida House

By Randy Grice
rgrice@miamiitimesoniline.coim '-
Haitian-American nurse
turned politician, Daphne D.
Campbell made history when DAPHNE D. CAMPBELL
she was elected to represent
District 108 in the state senate on August 24, 2010. As one
of a few Haitian-Americans in Florida's House, Campbell is
proud of her accomplishment.
"I am extremely proud of myself being elected in just three
months and accomplishing such a big task; it is incredible,"
Campbell said. "I believe in justice not injustice and as long
as I am in office I will not tolerate any injustice under my
watch."
Campbell, 53, 'and the mother of five, was born in Cap-
Haitien, Haiti and moved to Florida in 1981. She received her
Bachelors of Arts degree from SOD Nursing School. After 30
years of working as a registered nurse she developed aspira-
tions for political office.
"My motivation for wanting to be elected was the constit-
uents that have been underserved by local municipalities,
Please turn to DISTRICT 108 6C

SECTION C

'' ^ ''.>
. ,..:; .
.,- '* .//- ^T"."

-% ., ',.. -
o ~ -
,.c. -,,

A

./-.

i

., I

.1
c
,.

-1

- -.-r
,I

01 .. ': ",' ,
; : : '

~I'

a - 6
~~~ I:It
~6-~
"-
; -f
~~

.r: jI-

"s s. I-:-:

IP

B I \, K \1 II I 1k f'; I \ \ I 'I I \

6C "r "' TIMES, APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2011

FL~t 3~ Newest reality show starring LA Lakers athlete

ODOM
continued from 1C

Live Band, Jazz and
.Blues Sundays at the New
Roc Gardens, 1774 NW
183rd Street, Miami Gardens.
If you are looking for a classy,
jazzy place to lounge, dance
and have a good time; look no
further. Roc Gardens has that
and so much more. Enjoy a
live band while you get your
party on. For more informa-
tion, call Q at 786-443-5630.

First Friday's at Calder
Casino, 21001 NW 27th Ave.,
Miami Gardens. Tickets $10 in
advance and $20 at the door
Call at 305-335-3454, for
more info.

New Birth Employ-
ment Services Ministry will
be having a Job Fair and Re-
source Expo 2011. It will take
place on Thursday, April 28,
at New Birth Enterprise, 8400
NE 2nd Avenue from 9 a.m.-2
p.m. For more info, call 305-
757-2199, ext. 255 or ext.
237.

The Family Christian
Association of America
(FCAA) invites golfers to their
12th Annual Faith-Keepers
Golf Tournament on Thurs-
day, April 28, at the Grand
Palms Hotel and Golf Resort
in Pembroke Pines. For more
info, contact Rosalyn Alls at
305-685-4881 to register for
the tournament.

The Miami-Biscayne
Bay Chapter of The Links,
Inc. will host "Love Doesn't
Hurt," a candlelight vigil hon-
oring victims of domestic vio-
lence, on Thursday, April 28.
The reception starts at 5 p.m.
and the program at 6 p.m.,
at COPE Center North, 9950
NW 19th Avenue. For more
info, contact H. Leigh Toney
at 786-423-8096.

'The Opa-locka Com-
munity Development Cor-
poration will host Homebuyer
Education Workshops on Sat-
urday, April 30, May 14, May
21 and May 28 from 9 a.m.-5
p.m. at 490 Opa-locka Blvd.
Reservation required. Visit
www.olcdc.org to complete
the application. For more
info, contact Sharon Williams
at 305-687-3545 ext. 243 or
email sharon@olcdc.org.

There will be a meeting
at the African Heritage Cul-
tural Arts Center, 6161 NW
22nd Avenue on Saturday,
April 30 at 3 p.m., for Blacks
to discuss voting irregulari-
ties at Precinct 135 from Nov.
2010 election. For more info,
call Linda Simmons at 305-
898-2913.

The Booker T. Wash-
ington Class of 1961 will
meet on Saturday, April 30 at
3 p.m. at the African Heritage
Cultural Arts Center. Topic:
50th Reunion. For more info,
call 305-688-7072.

Mazaja the Writing
Network offers open mic to
the Muslim community. The
next show will be on Satur-
day, April 30 and June 25 at
6 p.m. at the Masjid Ibrahim
Community Center, 6800 NW
7th Avenue. For more info,
contact Zarifa Muhammad El
at 786-386-0694.

The James Wilson
Bridges M.D. Medical So-
ciety (JWBMS) will hold the
fourth annual Dr. Nelson Ad-
am's Walk a Mile with a Child
on Saturday, May 14 in His-
toric Overtown, followed by
a health fair from 8 a.m.-1
p.m. Registration for the walk
begins at 7 a.m. at St. John
Baptist Church, 1328 NW 3rd

The Children's Trust
will be having their Fam-
ily Expo on Saturday, May 14
from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the
Miami-Dade County Fair and
Expo Center, Coral Way and
SW 112th Avenue. For more
info, call 211 or visit thechild-
renstrust.org.

The Florida A&M Uni-
versity National Alumni
Association (NAA) annual
Convention is scheduled for
May 18-22 in Orlando, Fl. For
more info, call 850-599-3413
or email public.relations@
famu.edu.

A Career and Resourc-
es Job Fair Expo will be held
Friday, May 20 from 10 a.m.-,
2:30 p.m. in the library divi-
sion of the African-American
Research Library and Cultural
Center, 2650 Sistrunk Bou-
levard, Ft. Lauderdale. For
more info, call 954-625-2810.

P.U.L.S.E. (People
United To Lead The Strug-
gle for Equality) will be
hosting their 30th annual con-
vention on Saturday, May 21
at 9 a.m. at the Apostolic Re-
vival Center, 6702 NW 15th
Avenue. Registration begins
at 8 a.m. For more info, call
305-576-7590.

The Leading Ladies of
Elegance Inc. will be having
their 2nd Annual Community
Business Block Party on Satur-
day, June 4 at Amelia Earhart
Park, 401 E. 65 Street. For
more info, contact Catherine
Cook Brown at 305-652-6404
or leadingladies@att.net.

The Miami Northwest-
ern Class of 1961 will cel-
ebrate its 50th reunion, June
11-16. You must confirm your
intent to participate promptly
with Marva at 305-685-8035.
Meetings will be held the sec-
ond Tuesday of each month,
September thru May.

The Belafonte Tacolcy
Center will be hosting "Real
Men Cook," a fundraiser to as-
sist with the positive growth
of children. A basketball tour-
nament will also be held. The
event will take place on Sun-
day, June 19 at the Tacolcy
Center, 6161 NW 9th Avenue
from 12-6 p.m. For more info,
contact Akua at 305-751-
1295 ext: 134.

The Girl Power Pro-
gram, 6015 NW 7th Avenue,
will be having their Girl's Rites
of Passage Summer Program
from June 20-August 12. The
deadline to sign up is June 24.
For more information, contact
Melonie Burke at 305-757-
5502.

Miami Jackson Class
of 1971 40th Class Re-
union is to be held on June
23-26, at the El Palacio Hotel.
Call Gail D. Roberts for more
information at 305-343-0839
or Sherry Peters at 305-318-
1332.

The Miami Carol City
High Class of 1971 will cel-
ebrate its 40th Class Reunion
on July 22-24 at the Embassy
Suites in Ft. Lauderdale. Ac-
tivities will include: meet and
greet, bus tour of new MCCHS,
dinner dance, worship service
and picnic. For more info, go
to www.carolcitysenior71.com
or on Facebook "Miami Carol
City Sr. High Class of '71 Re-
union Info." Contact Gwen
Thomas Williams at 305-625-
7244 or email gwen0525@
aol.com

Looking for all former
Montanari employees to
get reacquainted. Meetings
will be held at Piccadilly's
(West 49th Street) in Hialeah,
on the last Saturday of each
month at 9 a.m. We look for-
ward to seeing each and every
one of you. For more informa-
tion, contact Loletta Forbes at

786-593-9687 or Elijah Lewis
at 305-469-7735.

They started filming this
around the All-Star Game
and the reality show cameras
started showing up at Lak-
ers practices and games after
that. What happened? The
Lakers went on a 17-2 run.
They played the best defense
of the season. They didn't
miss a beat. The last two loss-

es were more about the usual
complacent Lakers than real-
ity shows.
Not everyone can play in
Los Angeles or New York
(or Miami now). There is a
much greater concentration
of media, many more cam-
eras, a higher level of dissec-
tion of everything that goes
on around the team. Some
guys shy from that spotlight
and can't adjust; their game

suffers.
Odom is not that guy. He is
having the best season of his
career he is going to win
Sixth Man of the Year all
while married to a Kardashi-
an. Sure, cameras follow him
home, are in his house nearly
24/7, track him if he tries to
go buy a latte at Pete's. So
what? That's what has pretty
much been going on in his life
for the past couple of years.

Odom enjoys it in a way few
players can.
And you don't think Kobe
gives a crap so long as Odom
performs, do you? More cam-
eras are just more chances for
Ron Artest to do things Ron
Artest-like. Nobody else no-
tices.
So sit back and enjoy "Khloe
& Lamar." Or, don't watch it
-but you know you're going
to sneak a peak. Admit it.

Accused terrorist unable to attend funeral for son

FUNERAL back to Haiti. On January
continued from 5C 20, Lemorin was among 27
Haitians sent back to Haiti
business and hung out in Lib- country, after U.S. immigra-
erty City. Even though Lem- tion authorities resumed de-
orin was exonerated of any portations. He arrived in an
wrong-doing, he was sent earthquake-ravaged coun-

Rep. proud of accomplishments

DISTRICT Florida High School Athletic
cotninued from 5C Association (FHSAA). I said no
to their policy of discrimina-
counties on the state level and tion. I wasted no time in issu-
Washington D.C.," Campbell ing a public statement to the
said. FHSAA demanding that they
allow this team to play."
VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS Krop was later allowed to
Now that Campbell is in office play after a ruling from a Mi-
she feels she is being received ami-Dade judge.
well and will accomplish her Another issue Campbell is
goals. passionate about is the aboli-
"Things are going wonderful, tion of the Florida Comprehen-
great" she said. "I am the voice sive Assessment Test (FCAT).
for the voiceless and for that She is calling for the test to be
reason I vote yes against any thrown out of the educational
bills that are not suitable or system because the test con-
benefit my constituents of Dis- sumes too much of the learn-
trict 108." ing experience.
In a state of the district ad- "The way teachers only
dress Campbell delivered on teach the students FCAT is a
March 3 she toi -bed on a few problem; there is little time
projects that sh. had cham- for students to learn any-
pioned. She spoke about her thing else," she said. "They
efforts to help an immigrant forgot sciences, arts and civ-
student at Dr. Michael Krop ics. FCAT creates more harm
Senior High School who was than good, there is too much
facing discrimination, pressure on parents, students
"When an immigrant stu- and teachers. Since the estab-
dent at Krop High School was lishment of FCAT, I have seen
being discriminated against dramatic decreases in student
and the school's number one academic performance, es-
ranked basketball team was pecially among minority and
going to suffer for it, I said other underrepresented stu-
no," she said. "I said no to the dents."

Victims urge

trial for

Duvalier

TRIAL
continued from 5C

Human Rights Watch issued
a 47-page report recently urg-
ing the international com-
munity to send temporary
legal staff with experience in
complex cases and to assist
the Haitian government com-
pile information through the
release of diplomatic cables
and other evidence. The group
urged the Haitian government
to provide a safe environment
for witnesses and allow for ju-
dicial staff to work indepen-
dently. Duvalier stunned the
world by returning to Haiti in
January after 25 years of exile
in France. He stands accused
of the abuse, torture and kill-
ings of Haitians during his 15
years of autocratic rule.
Amnesty International gave
Haitian authorities 100 docu-
ments that it says detail cases
of detention without trial, sys-
tematic torture, disappear-
ances and extrajudicial kill-
ings that took place between
1971 and 1986, when Duva-
lier was president. After Duva-
lier's return to Port-au-Prince,
Haitian authorities reopened
a 2008 corruption and em-
bezzlement case against him
based on allegations that he
stole hundreds of millions of
dollars from the national trea-
sury. Human rights groups
want Haitian authorities to
bring him to trial for his al-
leged brutality also.
Several Haitians have al-
ready filed criminal com-
plaints against Duvalier.
Michele Montas, a journalist
and former spokeswoman for
the United Nations secretary-
general, said she endured
threats and detention and
survived an assassination at-
tempt for her journalism.

try that was fighting off the
deadly cholera epidemic. U.S.
authorities sent him back be-
cause they ultimately decided
he was a national security
threat under the U.S. Patriot
Act passed after the Septem-

Martin, Martin oh, what a man!
Coretta also would take a stand.
Chosen, a prophet for his time
To secure your freedom and mine.
Knowing what was inevitable for him
Leaving Coretta and children he loved them.
He was worth a holiday in his name
No other would ever claim that fame.

Brady says versatility is key

BRADY
continued from 1C

"I don't really look to model
myself after stand-up comics
because that's not what I do. I
look at actors who are versatile
and try to bring a lot of what
they [Goldberg and Crystal]
bring to the stage."
The work continues for Brady,
who is a regular in Las Ve-
gas, has a new children's re-
cord with Disney called "Radio
Wayne" that was inspired by
his daughter, is in his third

season of Let's Make a Deal and
if that's not enough, is working
on a new CD and a new sitcom.
"When I was nominated for a
Grammy I-thought that was
the best moment of my life,"
he said. "But that was before
I became a father. Being a dad
is amazing. And with a daugh-
ter it changes how you treat
women. I was always taught to
treat women with respect but
now I have the responsibility
of teaching her not to settle for
anything less than a gentle-
man."

President Barack Obama and his wife, Mi-
chelle, paid $453,770 in federal income taxes
in 2010 on $1.7 million in income, according to
tax returns the White House released recently
to coincide with the national income-tax filing
deadline.
Obana's income and tax payments fell
sharply from 2009, mainly because of declin-
ing sales of his books, from which the Obama
family derived most of its income. The Obamas
paid $1.8 million in income taxes in 2009 on
income of $5.5 million.
The Obamas' tax return offers a look at the
president's personal finances as he debates

wow

on the wealthy as part of overhauling the tax
code.
"I don't need another tax cut," Obama said
in a speech last week in which he laid out
his plan for cutting the country's deficit. His
proposal includes raising taxes on families
with annual incomes above $250,000 a year, a
move that Republicans oppose.
Obama overpaid his 2010 taxes by $12,334,
according to the tax returns. He could have
received a refund, but chose instead to apply
the amount to 2011 estimated taxes. Obama
reduced his tax burden by taking $22,215 in
foreign tax credits for income earned overseas
from sales of his books. He paid taxes on the
sales overseas.
Laura Saunders explains why average tax
refunds are at historic highs -more than
$3,000 per average return.
The Obamas reported donating $245,075 to
36 charities last year, compared with $329,100
to 40 different charities the previous year.
The largest donation, of $131,075, went to the
Fisher House Foundation, which provides free
or low-cost lodging to veterans and military-
families receiving treatment at military medi-
cal centers.
The family gave $15,000 to the Clinton-Bush
Haiti Fund, created in the wake of the 2010
earthquake that devastated Haiti. The fund
is led by former Presidents Bill Clinton and
George W. Bush.
The Whitouse Houalso released tax returns
for Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill.
They paid $86,626 in federal taxes last year
on adjusted gross income of $379,178, accord-
ing to a copy of their tax returns. The Bidens
claimed a $30,000 mortgage interest deduc-
tion.
The Bidens contributed about $5,000 to
charity. Their largest donation, of $1,400,
went to the Northern Virginia Community
College Alumni Scholarship Fund. They also
gave $1,000 to the Westminster Presbyterian
charity. Their largest donation, of $1,400,

Church and $500 to the Catholic church in
Delaware.

Hirings at McDonald's draws crowds

Hundreds of unemployed workers come about seven percent. a challenge for a company whose
McDonald's painted the event as name is often synonymous with
out to apply for fastfood jobs a boon for an economy where more "you-want-fries-with-that" jokes.
0 1q _11i- Abr_* rf r. InT ,,Tn hq -q nIP l in Thp

McJo even as a pace e

By Christina Rexrode

McDonald's Corp. went on the of-
fense last week against critics who
complain that it's a lousy place
to work. The world's largest ham-
burger chain held its first National
Hiring Day and was awarded with
a strong response from job seekers.

Thousands showed
up at restaurants
nationwide to ap-
ply for jobs mixing
shakes and serving
Happy Meals. The
company planned
to hire 50,000 new
workers in one day,
boosting its staff by

-"1

If .

-, ... ,5.

3f '"". '^i^ 3'1/ s c "-
? *I '
22

J, .:) ('

1-*
"^i
*^i iHB

.ART

BARRETT ..

-j

McDonald's has pledged to hire 50,000 work
McDonald's has Ijledged to hire 50,000 wore

As part of McDonald's National Hiring Day job seekers fill out
S. applications before being interviewed during the lunch hour at a
4, downtown Pittsburgh McDonald's restaurant Tuesday, April 19,
2011.

looking for work. But the real pur- Oxford English Dictionary, defined
pose, industry experts said, is that as "an unstimulating, low-paid job
S McDonald's needs to portray itself with few prospects." But to people

rs.

AmEx profits increase

with client spending

By Peter Eichenbaum

American Express Co., the
biggest credit-card issuer by
customer spending, said first-
quarter profit in-
creased 33 percent .,*
as consumer pur-
chases surged and
the firm slashed
the funds set aside
to cover bad loans.
Net income was -
$1.18 billion, or
97 cents a share,
compared with
$885 million, or
73 cents, a year
earlier, the New CH
York- based lender
said yesterday in
a statement. The average esti-
mate of 20 analysts surveyed by
Bloomberg was 92 cents.
"Record earnings this quarter

reflect credit quality and billed
business trends that are among
the best we've seen," Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer Ken-
neth I. Chenault, 59, said in the

statement. "After sev-
eral years of decline,
our lending portfolio
leveled off and total
revenues grew at the
healthiest pace since
before the recession."
AmEx hasn't offered
debit cards, the most-
used payment meth-
od. Instead, Chenault
is expanding AmEx's
reach beyond affluent
credit-card clients with
a new payment system
for smartphones and

AULT

computers. The system, called
Serve, may draw more transac-
tions to AmEx's global network,
Please turn to AMEX 8D

as a decent employer. That wil e

elP ase turn to M D

Recovery boosted by

rising home sales

Prices expected to keep falling five to

seven percent this year

By Julia Schmit foreclosure, typically sell at a 20
percent discount and pull down
Existing home sales rose 3.7 market prices.
percent from February to a sea- "At this point, we're likely
sonally adjusted annual rate to see a steady improvement
of 5.1 million, the National As- in sales," says economist Joel
sociation of Realtors reported Naroff of Naroff Economic Advi-
Wednesday. That marked the sors. But prices will continue to
sixth monthly rise for existing come under pressure because
home sales in the past eight of so many distressed homes.
months. "We're clearly on a re- Many economists expect U.S.
cover path," says Lawrence home prices to fall five to seven
Yun, NAR chief economist. percent this year. Some econo-
Yet median prices in March mists predict steeper declines.
dropped 5.9 percent from March For now, investors are driving
2010 to $159,600. Distressed much of the increase in exist-
homes accounted for 40 percent ing home sales. They're snap-
of sales, up from 35 percent a ping up distressed homes, fixing
year ago, the NAR says. Dis- them up and selling them for
tressed homes, such as those in Please turn to HOME 7D

Traveler delays, bag fees targeted

NEW RULES EXPAND FLIER PROTECTIONS

By Alan Levin

The government is introducing sweeping pro-
tections for fliers today to bar long tarmac de-
lays on international flights, require airlines to
reimburse bag fees if luggage is lost and pay
people double if they're bumped off flights.
The rules, issued by the Transportation De-

apartment, take effect Aug. 23. Airlines will
be required to more clearly disclose the fees
charged for such services as checking bags and
changing reservations.
"Airline passengers have a right to be treat-
ed fairly," Transportation Secretary Ray La-
Hood said about the rules. "It's just common
sense that if an airline loses your bag or you

get bumped from a flight be-
cause it was oversold, you
should be reimbursed. The
additional passenger pro-
tections we're announcing
today will help make sure
air travelers are treated with
Please turn to TRAVELER 8D

LaHOOD

More battles in store for long-term unemployed

By Tarice L.S. Gray
Special to the NNPA

The beginning of the month
may have felt like April Fool's
Day to a significant segment
of America's labor popula-
tion. That's when reports
started pouring in about the
new jobless rate and rise in
job creation. According to
the Bureau of Labor, last
month the unemployment rate
dropped to 8.8 percent and

the job market added 216,000
positions.
But for whom?
Many unemployed or un-
deremployed people fall into
a swelling pool of would-be
workers called the 99ers.
These are the jobless Ameri-
cans who've exhausted their
eligibility for not only the
normal 26 weeks of unemploy-
ment benefits, but also for all
of the emergency extensions
of benefits for the unemployed

- adding up to a total of 99
weeks or nearly two years that
Congress approved as the
Great Recessibn deepened.
More than six million of
the nation's 14 million jobless
have been out of work longer
than 26 weeks; and nearly
two million of that group has
unsuccessfully searched for
work for at least a year. But,
there are no definitive figures
on how many have been job-
less for two years or longer

because since World War II
ended the Great Depression
that's always been a minus-
cule figure until now.
But now, it includes job-
less individuals like Kim
Johnson, who ran out of her
unemployment benefits a
couple of months ago. A few
years back, that would have
sounded improbable to many
.people in Cleveland because
Johnson was one of the golden
voices of the city's airwaves.

In 2008, the great recession
declared war on cities like
Cleveland. Johnson became
a casualty the following year.
Now, after nearly two years
without full-time employment,
her reserves are low and
she gets by as a substitute
teacher earning $80 a day
when called. That part-time
work means that, despite her
increasingly tough circum-
stances, she doesn't meet the
federal government's definition

of being unemployed. Her sal-
ary went from $120,000 a year
to nothing.
Dee Ann Donner is another
of the 8.4 million Americans
who want a full-time job but
have been forced to work
limited hours. She recently
exhausted her jobless benefits,
too.
Hopes and prayers seem
to be fading among many of
the long term unemployed,
Please turn to BATTLES 8D

ht an 13 million e

I

..
I-

r ;"

------
i^

f:
I''.

- -e%., T- t

BL. ks Mtl [ CONTROL IllFIR L',\\ \ DExTINY

8D THE '.'lI.'I r ,.'t APRIL 27-MAY 3, 2011

Long haul ahead for those who are unemployed

BATTLES
continued from 7D

however, according to a series of
studies of those whom the current
economic crisis has trapped in long-
term joblessness by Heldrich Cen-
ter for Workforce Development at
Rutgers University. Their research
found that as the crisis took hold,
once jobless workers passed the
six-month threshold of joblessness,

HOME
continued from 7D

a slight profit, or turning them
into rentals, says Patrick New-
port, economist at IHS Global
Insight. Investors accounted for
22 percent of sales activity in
March, the NAR says, up from
19 percent a year ago. Thirty-
five percent of March sales were
all-cash deals, a record.
Investors are seizing on low
prices and strong rental de-
mand, says Paul Dales, U.S.
economist at Capital Econom-
ics. Rents have edged up in

their prospects for finding any work
at all diminished sharply and, as
their rejected applications for work
piled up and their resources dwin-
dled, their spirits were dampened
and they felt disconnected from the
larger society.
One manifestation of that low
psychological state is both listless-
ness and sleeplessness due to un-
certainty about the future. Adding
to the shared burden is the fact that

recent months after staying
fairly stable for two years, he
says. There are also more rent-
ers after millions of people lost
homes to foreclosure.
There are signs that non-in-
vestor buyers are getting more
active. Applications for mort-
gages to buy homes, according
to the Mortgage Bankers Asso-
ciation's Purchases index, have
risen 10 percent over a seven-
week period, Newport says.
"This pickup in demand
should show up in improved
existing home sales in April
and May, unless lending condi-

both women are Black. That means
they're more likely to be among the
long-term unemployed and under-
employed.
The National Employment Law
Project, which advocates for the em-
ployment rights of lower-wage work-
ers, is looking into this situation
because the organization sees it as
an unfortunate consequence. Judy
Conti, NELP's Federal advocacy
coordinator, explained that people

tions tighten," he says.
Tight credit is already re-
straining demand, Yun says..
The NAR says the average
credit score for loans bought by
government-backed mortgage
giants Freddie Mac and Fannie
Mae is now about 760, up from
720 in 2007.
High unemployment and un-
derwater mortgages are also
hurting demand. Almost 25
percent of homeowners with a
mortgage owe more than their
homes are worth. "This means
many households that want to
move can't," Dales says.

American Express earnings increase

AMEX
continued from 7D

the fourth-biggest after Visa
Inc., MasterCard Inc. and Chi-
na UnionPay Co.
American Express climbed 36
cents to $47 in New York Stbck
Exchange composite trading
yesterday before the announce-
ment, and has advanced 9.5
percent this year. It declined to
$46.37 at 6:56 p.m. New York
time in extended trading.
The company set aside $97
million to cover future loan
losses, a 90 percent drop from
the same period in 2010, ac-
cording to the statement. The
firm also released $725 mil-
lion from an account to cover
soured loans.

WRITE-OFFS DECLINE
Write-offs for loans AmEx
deemed uncollectible fell in
March to 3.7 percent, the com-

pany said in an April 15 regula-
tory filing. Overdue payments,
a signal of future defaults,
dropped to 1.8 percent, the low-
est of the six largest U.S. credit-
card issuers. JPMorgan Chase
& Co., the biggest card lender,
reported the second-lowest de-
linquency rate at 3.08 percent.
The company will resume
share repurchases in the cur-
rent quarter and aims to return
about 50 percent of earnings
to shareholders through divi-
dends or stock buybacks, Chief
Financial Officer Daniel Henry
said yesterday in a conference
call with analysts.
"We have terrific earnings
power to create free cash flow,"
he said.
U.S. card income rose 34 per-
cent to $555 million from the
same period a year earlier, ac-
cording to AmEx. International
card income climbed 36 per-
cent to $189 million.

Worldwide card spending, or
billed business, increased 17
percent to $187.9 billion, ac-
cording to an earnings supple-
ment. Customers spent an av-
erage of $3,438, a 14 percent
increase from a year earlier,
when AmEx had fewer cards
outstanding.
First-quarter revenue ad-
vanced to $7.03 billion from
$6.56 billion a year earlier, the
company said in the statement.
AmEx handled 3.91 percent
of 120.4 billion purchase trans-
actions worldwide last year.
The firm was supplanted as
the third-biggest card network
by Shanghai-based UnionPay,
which boosted its market share
to 4.03 percent, according to
the Nilson Report, an indus-
try newsletter. Visa, based in
San Francisco, had 66 percent
of the market, compared with
25 percent for Purchase, New
York-based MasterCard.

Federal rules for airline passengers

TRAVELER
continued from 7D

the respect they de-
serve."
The Transportation
Department barred
airlines last April from
delaying flights on the
ground for longer than
three hours without
allowing passengers
the chance to return
to the gate. Otherwise,
the airlines faced stiff
fines.
The rule has all but
eliminated long de-
lays for passengers
on domestic flights,
but it didn't apply to
international routes
- something consum-
er advocates wanted
changed because too
many travelers on
international flights
were stranded for
hours on tarmacs.
At least 31 interna-
tional flights carry-
ing.as many as 9,000

passengers became
stranded for three
hours or more at New
York's John F. Ken-
nedy Airport during a
December blizzard.
The incident was "an
important factor in
the department's deci-
sion to extend the tar-
mac delay provisions,"
the department said
in a release.
Airlines will have
more time to let in-
ternational flights sit
on the tarmac before
they must take off
or return to the gate:
four hours, compared
with three for domes-
tic flights.
The rules provide
other protections: Air-
lines will be required
to hold flight reserva-
tions for 24 hours at
the quoted fare price
if the reservations are
made at least a week
before takeoff. They
must also promptly

notify passengers of
flight delays longer
than 30 minutes.
The rules target
some of the most ag-
gravating aspects of
airline travel passen-
gers say they suffer.
Chief among them
are the fees to check
bags. The rules say
the airlines must re-
fund the fees up to
$50 or more a bag if
they are misplaced.
Under the rules,
passengers bumped
from flights are en-
titled to compensation
of twice the price of
the ticket up to $800
if the passenger is
delayed two hours or
less. Those who have
longer delays after be-
ing bumped can get
up to $1,300. That's
double the current
amount.
The airline industry
generally supports the
changes, but opposed

who are unemployed for more than
six months are disproportionately
people of color and older workers.
NELP is already probing whether
some companies utilize the dis-
criminatory practices some compa-
nies have against those long-term
unemployed workers. But, for the
present, little is being done to stop
companies from keeping jobs out of
the reach of the long-term unem-
ployed.

McDonald's hiring blitz attracts massive interest

MCDONALDS
continued from 7D

who need work, any
stigma is beside the
point.
MORE ADULTS
SEEKING JOBS WITH
BURGER GIANT
McDonald's and other
fast-food chains, once
an entry point into the
work force for teenag-
ers, appear to be turn-
ing into an employer of
more adults, a legacy of
the recession, industry
watchers said. The av-
erage age of a fast-food
worker is 29.5, up from
22 in 2000, according
to the U.S. Census Bu-
reau.
Danitra Barnett, Mc-

Donald's U.S. vice presi-
dent of human resourc-
es, said she couldn't
specify what proportion
of the 50,000 new jobs
will be full-time, or what
they will pay. About 90
percent of McDonald's,
restaurants are owned
by franchisees and the
company doesn't con-
trol what they offer in
wages or benefits. Bar-
nett said most fran-
chisees pay more than
minimum wage, which
is $7.25-an-hour na-
tionally. $7.25 an hour
would amount to about
$15,000 a year for a full-
time worker, according
to government formulas.
McDonald's said it
and its franchisees will
spend an additional

$518 million in the
coming year because of
the recent hiring. That
amounts to just over
$10,000 per new em-
ployee. Spokeswoman
Danya Proud said the
company prefers to fo-
cus on the net econom-
ic benefit of the new
hiring, including the
money that employees
will spend in their local
economies. In Senate
testimony last year, Mc-
Donald's said that about
75 percent of employees
at company-owned res-
taurants are part-time,
averaging 18 hours a
week. Restaurant em-
ployees tend to stay an
average of 17 months,
HR chief Rich Floersch
testified in December.

ENTRY LEVEL WORK
CAN TURN INTO
LONG-TERM
CAREERS
McDonald's also touts
how its jobs can grow
into bigger opportuni-
ties. According to the
company, 30 percent of
its executives started in
restaurants, as well as
more than 70 percent
of restaurant manag-
ers. Salaried manag-
ers for company-owned
restaurants can make
between about $32,000
and $50,000 annually,
Proud said.
That's slightly less
than elementary school
teachers, who average
$53,150, according to
the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. It's more than

bank tellers, at $24,780.
The average annual
salary in the U.S. is
$43,460.
McDonald's CEO Jim
Skinner made $9.7 mil-
lion last year.
Though the 50,000
jobs are new, McDon-
ald's usually staffs up
for summer anyway and
it's constantly gaining
and losing employees.
It added 50,000 new
workers in .April last
year, so last week's blitz

amounts to typical hir-
ing, albeit compressed
into a day. With 14,000
U.S. restaurants, re-
cently planned addi-
tions amount to about
three or four new em-
ployees per restaurant
which is roughly the
amount that each store
is probably usually look-
ing for anyway.
McDonald's is ex-
pected to release the
final hiring count later
this week.

I grew up in Savannah, Ga.
When I was 10, I entered an es-
say contest on why I loved the
city. It was a promotion for the
opening of its convention cen-
ter. I won for the elementary
school category and appeared
at the opening. Diahann Car-
roll was also part of the cele-
bration. I still remember having
butterflies in my stomach.
My high school guidance
counselor steered me toward
engineering because I excelled
at math and science. Engineer-
ing grads were getting six to
eight offers each, but by the
time I graduated from Georgia
Tech in 1983, job prospects had
slowed. I turned down a job
with a construction company
after I got an offer from General
Dynamics to work in Atlanta
for its electric boat division. I
worked on noise mitigation for
submarines.
I found I was more interested
in management than pure engi-

neering, so after two years I left
to attend the Wharton School
at the University of Pennsylva-
nia for an M.B.A. Management
courses, however, didn't capti-
vate me. I was most comfortable
in finance, with its mathemati-
cal answers that weren't open
to case-study debate.
I started on Wall Street in
August 1987. Black Monday oc-
curred two months later, and
large financial firms started
laying people off. I learned that
business is cyclical and that
out of crisis comes opportu-
nity. Over the next 10 years, I
worked for several companies,
including James J. Lowrey &
Company, a financial advisory
firm.
In 1996, Napoleon Brandford
III and I were working together
when Muriel Siebert, who owns
a discount brokerage firm and
was the first woman to buy a
seat on the New York Stock Ex-
change, approached us about
starting a municipal finance
firm together. Muriel and Napo-

President and CEO
of Sieber brandford
Shank & Compnay, a
municipal finance fir-
man New York

AGE
49

RECENTLY READ
"Freedom," by
Jonathan Franzen

STILL LEARNING
Her smartphone
features

leon asked me to be president be a perfect role for me, work-
and C.E.O. It has turned out to ing in tandem with Napoleon,

the chairman.
Our company underwrites
municipal bonds that cities
issue to finance major infra-
structure projects. Our indus-
try has had a few great years
despite the financial crisis of
2008. While some large firms
downsized, we increased our
staff by a third. In the first two
months of this year, however,
industry volume was less than
half of what it was a year ago.
Last year, we were among the
top 10 municipal finance firms
in revenue, a first for a minor-
ity- and woman-owned compa-
ny. Increasing our staff in 2008
helped fuel our growth.
Municipalities are struggling
today as they deal with fiscal
crises. But they're engaging
in layoffs and cutting services
in an attempt to balance their
budgets. I believe that reports
of possible enormous defaults
are overstated. The municipal
sector has been known for its
safe investments. Lower-rated
credit, in the nonrated or junk-

bond range, and credit barely
investment grade, are vulner-
able; that's why these invest-
ments pay a higher yield.
In 2000, when working in
Detroit for our company, I was
co-founder of an internship
program, the Detroit Summer
Finance Institute, which ex-
poses inner-city students to
finance jobs. People often view
the municipal finance sector as
less glamorous than the corpo-
rate one. Young people, espe-
cially, don't always realize how
rewarding work in this field can
be. We have offices in 22 cities.
I see the impact of our work in
many cities -- from convention
centers to highways to educa-
tional projects.
At a recent event, a couple of
people who learned I was in fi-
nance wanted to sit next to me
for personal investment advice.
The fiscal crisis facing some
municipalities had them wor-
ried about their portfolios. I've
never been so in demand for in-
vestment advice.

Paula Deen and Barry Weiner recommend cutting back.

As businesses grow, so does
the need for smart, strategic
employees. But for a hands-on
owner, it can be tough to let go
and trust others with duties
such as sales, marketing and
product development. It can
also take much trial and error
to find the best help.
Participant: Sonya Jones,
of Sweet Auburn Bread Com-
pany, Atlanta, a bakery spe-
cializing in Southern-inspired
food.
Jones' situation: Jones
is overloaded with duties
that include baking, selling
and bookkeeping. She has a
part-time assistant, and her
25-year-old son Robert pitch-
es in, but she needs more help.
"Everything I do takes so
much time because I'm a
hands-on chef," she says. "I'm
working all the time."
She feels guilty asking her
son for additional assistance

since he wants to pursue a ca-
reer in music. Yet, with limited
funds, she's not sure where
else she can get support. Jones
would like more time to focus
on growth opportunities such
as promoting her new cook-
book and selling her goods at
a local Whole Foods. "I need to
have the ability to step back"
from the day-to-day tasks, she
says.
An additional employee
could also aid with tedious-
but-necessary items, such
as answering work-related e-
mails and handling invoices.
"At the end of the day, I'm too
dead tired to sit at a comput-
er," she says.
Deen and Weiner's advice:
The coaches agree that Jones
could use some assistance.
But she should also help her-
self by limiting the projects
she takes on.
"Be careful about biting off

S -. : ..

Sonya Jones, owner of the Sweet Auburn Bread Company
in Atlanta, specializes in southern- inspired food including
sweet potato muffins.

more than you can chew,"
says Weiner. While a distri-
bution deal with Whole Foods
has upsides, it could easily be-
come overwhelming. If Jones
receives large orders that she
can't fill, it could hurt her
bakery's reputation.
Jones should also address
the potential staffing shortage
that could come if her son re-
turns to college or gets a job in
the music industry.
Deen, who works with her
two sons, suggests that Jones
"have a serious conversation"
with Robert to ask if he would
"give 100 percent" to the
bakery until she feels stable
enough to hire more help.
Yet, Jones should also be
prepared for Robert to decline
that request: "You can't .take
a square peg and put it in a
round hole," says Weiner, who
adds that his mother wanted
him' to be a school teacher.

on projects
(Deen says her mother wanted
her to be a dental hygienist.)
.When it comes time to hire
outside help, both Deen and
Weiner stress that Jones
should consider a smart,
stable, enthusiastic employ-
ee who might need training,
rather than solely focusing on
someone who has experience.
While money might be tight
right now, Deen suggests that
Jones "tell whoever you hire
that as you make it, they're
going to make it."
Once Jones gets more funds,
she should bump up compen-
sation.
"I pay people very, very well
probably more than I have
to," says Deen. "But that costs
me less money in the long fun
because I'm not having to con-
stantly train somebody (new).
I pay them enough that they
don't go seeking a higher scale
at the next restaurant."

College grads seek better job market

By Marisa Kendall

Employers plan to hire 19.3
percent more recent gradu-
ates this year, says a report
by the National Association
of Colleges and Employers.
The association surveyed
174 schools from February
through April.
The increase in open posi-
tions means employers have
half as many applicants per
job now than at this time last
year: .21.1 applicants this
year vs. 40.5 in 2010.
Students are confirming
the trend, says Lonnie Dun-
lap, director of career servic-
es at Northwestern University
in Evanston, Ill. "What we're
seeing this year is that some
of our students are getting

a' .".

i ,i

multiple offers, which we're
thrilled about."
The top-paying major for
the class of 2011 is chemi-

cal engineering. It 'has an
average starting salary of
$66,886, the association re-
port says. The accounting

services industry has the
most projected job openings
for this year: 7,244 spots.
The Midwest is seeing an
increase in manufacturing,
information technology and
sales openings, says Kelley.
Bishop, executive director of
career services at Michigan
State University. Not only can
these companies now afford
to hire graduates, they need
to because they put it off
during the recession, Bishop
.says.
A Michigan State survey
of 4,600 employers found
that companies will hire
10 percent more graduates
with bachelor's degrees this
year, the first increase in two
years.
Please turn to COLLEGE 10D

Joblessness cited as lingering risk

High unemployment could be here

to stay without reforms

By Riva Froymovich

The risk that unemploy-
ment levels remain at cur-
rent levels after the financial
crisis is a major concern, in-
cluding in the U.S., the Or-
ganization for Economic Co-
operation and Development
said in a report recently.
The OECD listed a number
of countries whose jobless
rates had jumped by more
than two percentage points
since the crisis began.
They included the U.K., Ita-
ly, Ireland, Greece, Portugal,
the U.S., where the jobless
rate has lifted five percentage
points and Spain, where the
jobless rate has lifted more
than 12 percentage points.
"A main concern in coun-
tries most severely hit is that
persistently high levels of un-
employment and a rising

share of unemployed workers
facing long spells without a
job will eventually result
in widespread deterioration
of human capital, discour-
agement and labor market
withdrawal," the OECD said.
"The risk is strongest for
youth and less skilled work-
ers who have been dispropor-
tionately affected by the rise
in unemployment."
The OECD highlighted par-
ticular concerns about the
U.S. labor market.
It said the "unusually high
share of long-term unemploy-
ment" is a "striking feature"
of the current U.S. labor mar-
ket.
The OECD said that the
U.S. jobless rate has started
to fall but noted evidence that
the odds of a jobless person
finding work within a month-
-the so-called unemployment

outflow rate--has fallen sig-
nificantly compared to levels
in previous recessions.
"Such developments raise
concerns about future per-
sistence of unemployment,"
the OECD said in the report.
Germany, alongside Aus-
tria, Belgium, Finland, Ja-
pan, Korea, Luxembourg and
the Netherlands have ben-
efited from time-sharing pro-
grams among workers, which
absorbed the fall in gross
domestic product due to the
financial crisis.
"The labor market has yet
to recover from the crisis,"
the OECD said.
In the short term countries
should focus on boosting la-
bor demand by slashing la-
bor costs through temporary
tax cuts, such as payroll tax-
es, the OECD said.
In addition, governments
can do more to match work-
ers with jobs by strengthen-
ing public employment ser-
vices and training programs,

said the OECD.
The OECD also suggests
countries reduce the gap in
protection between regular
and temporary worker con-
tracts, pointing to significant
reforms already underway in
Greece and Spain. While the
impact of such reforms take
time to materialize and are
politically difficult to imple-
ment during a period of high
unemployment, they could
boost hiring and labor mar-
ket resilience. One option
would be to link job protec-
tion to seniority instead.
These "two-tier" systems
have led to turnover in the
workforce in countries in-
cluding France, Italy and
Spain, with no permanent
effects on the unemployment
rate itself.
Countries including Ger-
many and Netherlands
should phase out public sub-
sidies, such as short-term
working schemes, the OECD
said.

The Miami-Dade County Canvassing Board will convene at the Office of the Supervisor
of Elections, 2700 N. W. 87th Avenue, Miami, Florida. The Canvassing Board is convening
,on these dates in preparation to conduct the Miami-Dade County Special Election to be held on
May 24, 2011.

Wednesday, 5/4/11 1. Logic and accuracy test of the optical scan and
10:00 a.m. touch screen voting systems to be used for

absentee, early voting, and precinct ballots

Tuesday, 5/17/11 1. Public Inspection of absentee ballots
8:00 to 10:00 a.m. 2. Pre-count logic and accuracy test of the optical
scan system used for paper ballots
Wednesday, 5/18/11 through Monday, 1. Absentee ballots opening and processing starts
5/23/11, 8:00 a.m. to completion and continues as needed
Canvassing: 10:00 a.m. 2. DuphlIlcon of ballots (as needed)
3. Canvassing of presumed invalid absentee ballots
starts and continues as needed
Tuesday, 5/24/11 1. Absentee ballots opening and processing
continues (as needed)
2. Duplication of ballots (as needed)
Canvassing: 3. Canvassing of presumed invalid absentee ballots
4:00 p.m. to completion 4. Provisional ballots processing
5. Tabulation of results
6. Release of Unofficial results after 7:00 p.m.
Friday, 5/27/11 1. Provisional ballots processing, if needed
Canvassing: 2. Certification of Official results, including
10:00 a.m. to completion Provisionals
3. Post-count logic and accuracy test of the optical
scan system used for absentee and provisional
ballots
4. Audit Process starts Pae.'Oues.oil, and
Precincts Selection for State Audit
Tuesday, 5/31/11 1. Audit process continues until completion
10:00 a.m. to completion
r I-i.:i eei ...II! rbe o.p'ei to the public. Fora sign language interpreter or other accommodations,
please call 305-499-8405 at least five days in advance. In accordance with Section 286.0105,
Florida Statutes, a person who appeals any decision by the canvassing board with respect to any
matter considered at a meeting, he or she will need a record of the proceedings and therefore will
need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made.
Lester Sola
Supervisor of Elections
Miami-Dade County

LOS ANGELES Presi-
dent Barack Obama headed
west to sell his big picture
deficit-reduction plan. But
many people are waiting
for a quick fix to their own
economic problems caused
chiefly by persistent unem-
ployment and the crippled
housing market.
Audiences in California
and Nevada understood why
it's important to get a handle
on the deficit over the long
term. Yet they made clear
that the economic recovery
hasn't fully taken hold in
ways that are meaningful to
them.
As Obama shifts into re-
election mode, he will need
to show that he hasn't lost
his focus on jobs even as the
conversation in Washington
swings to paying down what
the nation owes.
An audience member at
Obama's town hall meeting
recently at Facebook head-
quarters in Palo Alto, Calif.,
summarized how the in-
creased attention on red ink
looks to the public.
"At the beginning of your
term you spent a lot of time
talking about job creation
and the road to economic re-
covery," the questioner told
the president. "Since then,
we've seen the conversation
shift from that of job cre-
ation and economic recovery
to that of spending cuts and
the deficit."
"I would love to know your
thoughts on how you're go-
ing to balance these two go-
ing forward, or even poten-
tially shift the conversation
back," she added.
Obama said that unless
lawmakers get the coun-
try's long-term finances un-
der control, more immediate
economic gains could prove
difficult.
"If we don't have a serious
plan to tackle the debt and
the deficit, that could actu-
ally end up being a bigger
drag on the economy than

'I;

liiri
-it--

-~ n
:.- .-

._-.

1$

S

President Barack Obama said "the housing market was the "biggest drag" on the
economy," at a townhall meeting in Reno, Nev.

anything else," Obama said.
The economy has rebound-
ed since the early days of
Obama's presidency. But
the unemployment rate is
8.8 percent and millions of
jobs cut during the recession
haven't returned. A ques-
tioner at Obama's town hall
meeting in Reno, Nev., re-
cently said both he and his
wife were out of work.
The faltering housing mar-
ket has left many homeown-
ers owing more on their loans
than their homes are worth.
Prospective homeowners are
struggling to find the money
to buy.
A question submitted for
Obama online during the
Facebook town hall put the
public's frustration simply:
"The housing crisis will not
go away."
Obama didn't reject that
assessment. He said the
housing market was the "big-
gest drag" on the economy.
Factor in rising gasoline
prices and it's no surprise
that many people are feel-
ing squeezed from all sides.
In an Associated Press-GfK
poll from March, 90 percent
of those questioned said the
economy was a top priority.

The poll found that 76 per-
cent see budget and deficit
issues as extremely impor-
tant or very important. The
poll was conducted before
Obama and Rep. Paul Ryan,
R-Wis., announced compet-
ing plans for bringing down
the deficit.
Obama's plan would cut
spending by $4 trillion over
12 years and raise taxes on

the wealthy. House Republi-
cans have passed a plan that
would cut nearly $6 trillion
from the deficit, in part by
overhauling Medicare and
Medicaid.
Obama and Republicans
have accused each other by
turn of pitching "radical"
plans, and there are few in-
dications of where they'll
find room for compromise.

Priva Suresh, a member of North-
western University's class of 2011,
landed a job in November and will
start work in August.
Her advice to jobless graduates
is to use the university career re-
sources..
Daniel Zuccari, a journalism
major who graduated with George
Washington University's class
of 2011, hunted for a year before
landing a job this month.
"I t felt great to get that offer," he

says of the communications posi-
tion at a global professional con-
sulting firm in Pennsylvania.
Zuccari says his friends who
graduated in 2009 had an even
more difficult job search.
Students shouldn't let worries
about the economy keep them
from looking for jobs, says Igna-
cio Gallardo associate director of
career services at the University
of California-Santa Barbara. "I
think the last two years, students
had a lot of fear about the econo-
my, and it was stunting their job
search.

FANM educates local women

FANM
continued from 5C

and empowerment, parenting class-
es and citizens class," Marlene
Bastien, executive director of FANM,
said. "Our immigration and citizen-
ship program covers ari array of is-
sues ranging from civic education
to voter classes."
EDUCATING HAITIAN WOMEN
Marcie Jean, 53, Little Haiti resi-
dent; said she was able to learn a lot
about immigration through FANM.
"I had a lot of questions about ap-
plying to stay in this country," Jean
said. "The language barrier was a
major issue but FANM helped me to
understand and make the best deci-
sions."
Karen Joseph said FANM plays a
big roll in keeping her independent.
"The classes they offer are mak-
ing me more self-aware about what I
need to do to get to where I want to

be," Joseph said. "I want to be a busi-
ness woman some day and FANM is
helping to get me on track with what I
need to do to have the most success."
FANMplays a unique role in edu-
cating Miami's Haitian women about
health, immigrant rights, domestic
violence and other issues. It trains
women who are organizing for worker
rights and provides seed money and
technical assistance for women to de-
velop small businesses.
"The health outreach is a very im-
portant program," Bastien said. "In
Florida, we are probably the last in
providing healthcare to the less for-
tunate. Immigration, healthcare,
housing and jobs are some of the se-
rious issues we address."
Bastien said thus far the commu-
nity has received the organization's
mission well.
"We are very proud of our efforts,"
Bastien said. "The community has tak-
en to us very well, we are celebrating
our 20th year."

LHHA provides more housing

HOUSING
continued from 5C

pretty well received in the commu-
nity."
The vision for the LHHA has
evolved over the course of the past
decade to become a leading com-
munity development corporation
serving the affordable housing
and economic development needs
of the low to moderate-income
residents of the Haitian-Ameri-
can community of South Florida.
James Raunt, Little Haiti resident
said the LHHA helped him to find
a residence when he need help the
most.
"I needed help and I had no one
to turn to. One of my friends actu-
ally told me about them because
I never heard of them and to this
day I am thankful for what they
have done for me," he. said.

The LHHA was founded to serve
the need for affordable housing of
the residents of Little Haiti, specifi-
cally to create affordable first-time
home ownership opportunities for
the Haitian/Haitian-American
members of the community.
Stan Gilmore, Little Haiti resi-
dent, said the service the LHHA
provides is very much needed in
the community.
"They help a lot of people man,
he said. If they did not help out as
much as they do I think we would
see way more people being kicked
out of their homes man."
Most recently, LHHA has joined
a community initiated effort to
facilitate the further development
of the main commercial, corridor
in Little Haiti to create a more vi-
brant business environment that
highlights the unique character of-
the Haitian-American community.

LOVE DOCTOR
SPIRITUAL HEALER
-,s a,. ADVISOR
'- 'By Sister Sinclair

Depression Call your enemies
Addictions by name
Weight loss Restore loss nature
TELL YOU WHO TO KEEP AWAY FROM
GUARANTEED RESULTS IN 3-9 DAY LOCATED IN MIAMI

IL'

Learn How at NO COST, Saturday 10-11:30 at
2185 NW 87 ST. ;
Be your own Boss

IN HOUSE SALES REPS
Highly motivated, profes-
sional individuals for fast
paced newspaper. Must
type 45 wpm, well orga-
nized and computer liter
with excellent oral and
writing skills. Must have a
minimum of an AA or AS
degree. Fax resume along
with salary history to 305-
694-6211.
The Miami Times

MUSICIAN NEEDED
Keyboard and Organist
who plays traditional and
contemporary music for
Sunday Morning Services
at
10:45 a.m. 305-915-6252
786-315-1684.

ROUTE DRIVERS
We are seeking drivers to
deliver newspaper to retail
outlets in South Dade, Bro-
ward and Miami Dade.
Wednesday Only

You must be available be-
tween the hours of 6 a.m.
and 1 p.m. Must have reli-
able, insured vehicle and
current Driver License.
Apply in person at:
The Miami Times
900 N.W. 54th Street

To stand out in a
still-sluggish hous-
ing market, major
builders are start-
ing to sell affordable
tract homes that
come with solar pan-
els and nearly zero
utility bills.
On Earth Day re-
cently, Meritage
Homes will begin of-
fering a "net-zero"
home that's designed
to produce as much
energy as it uses an-
nually. Such homes,
starting at $140,000
in Tucson and
$160,000 in Las Ve-
gas, will be available
in parts of Arizona,
California, Colorado,
Nevada and central,
Texas, where a nine-
panel rooftop solar
array is already a
standard feature. For
a $10,000 upgrade,
consumers can get
24 more solar pan-
els that could reduce
utility bills to zero.
"It's. a new way of
building homes,"
says' C.R. Herro, vice
president of environ-
mental affairs for
Arizona-based Mer-
itage, the nation's
ninth-largest builder.
"This is the first
major-size builder to
do this," says David
Johnston, author of
Toward a Zero En-
ergy Home. He says
net-zero building has
become common in
Canada, but until
now relatively few
affordable-housing
units have achieved
such efficiency.
Still, in an econo-
my with $4-a-gallon
gasoline, Meritage's

The Board of Directors of the Miami Children's Ini-
tiative has scheduled its meetings for the month of
May and June on the following dates: May 10, May
24, and June 21. All meetings will begin at 6:00 pm
and will be held in the 4th Floor Conference Room
of the Joseph Caleb Center, 5400 NW 22nd-Ave.
Ms. Annie Neasman is Board Chair. All are wel-
come to attend.

DO YOU

HAVE SMARTS?

Our deadlines have changed

We have made several changes in our deadlines
due to a newly-revised agreement between The
Miami Times and our printer. We value your pa-
tronage and support and ask you to adjust to these
changes, accordingly. As always, we are happy to
provide you with excellent customer service.

effort reflects an in-
dustrywide push to
build homes that
cost less to operate.
Last month, Los
Angeles-based KB
Home announced
that it will include as
a standard feature in
10 Southern Califor-
nia communities a
small, six-panel roof-
top solar array capa-
ble of cutting energy
costs by about 30
percent in an 1,800-
to 2,000-square-foot
home.
"Just about all the
larger builders are
focusing on energy
efficiency," says Kev-
in Morrow of the Na-
tional Association of
Home Builders.
"Shiny granite can
only go so far" to lure
buyers from low-price
foreclosures, says
Nate Kredich of the
non-profit U.S. Green
Building Council.
Kredich says he ap-
plauds Meritage for
"really pushing the
envelope" on sustain-
ability.
Bruce Ploeser's
family of six plans to
move next week into
Meritage's first net-
zero house, in the
Verrado community
in Buckeye, Ariz.
"It's beautiful,"
says Ploeser of
the five-bedroom,
3,400-square-foot,
.$326,000 home.
He likes watching
its meter, which often
shows that the 25
photovoltaic panels
are sending a sur-
plus of energy back
to the grid.
"I'm just amazed,"
he says, "that it's
running backward."

_iar,:- lJ,:,ne-. t'j. smrrnz to be Ii. lnr the kind of life that most
br,:,th'err drearr .ab:,our he is a celebrity in a city where super-
cjr .arce olte r-l 6.orshipped, he makes an astonishing amount of
rrijr ne', d'in vg v. hat he lo e;s most and he has a beautiful, sup-
po:. ':rt' ,e ale raand :rhiIldre n
F: But here i where the stor', rakes a less-than-common
t turn because for .jner,. all roads and decisions lead to Des-
t in, hiis college sweetheart '.'h.ho has since become his "per-
sonal destirn,." along ,..irh their three children, ages

While we ma, have grown accustomed to hear-
ing about Black athletes more interested in
v.earing the latest -bling-bling" or creeping out
,n search of the proverbial "grass is greener
prospect." _iones is the kind of man that makes
sand- I~,hes for his children, arranges his work-
outr schedule so that he can take them to and
pc pick them Lip frorn school and by his own admis-
S.irr-n,In longs for the da', when he is no longer on the
AVIIIIM road.
And this is an NBA superstar?

ATHLETIC PROWESS CAME
NATURALLY AS DID LOVE
FOR FAMILY
.Jones comes from an athletic
famril\ with talent spread equally
a among both the boys and the girls.
.a.o His father and other uncles all
played for Carol City High School's
varsitN basketball team. And he
has several female relatives who
have played made their mark at
the collegiate level. But he says it
took him awhile before he began
to believe he had a chance, given
the daunting odds, to make it in
the NBA.
"My mother actually remar-
ried when I was 10, but my
biological father was still
\ery much in my life," he
said. "When I got to middle
school, I was taller than
everyone else but with par-
ents who were 6'8 and 5'10,
that wasn't all that sur-
prising. But in high school
[American Senior High], I
met my first real chal-
lenge there were play-
ers who were both taller
and stronger than me.
I had to work hard and
I did."
After a stellar per-
formance in a Nike
camp for top-rated
national basketball
players, Jones said
things began to click
in his mind for the
first time.
"Some kids dream
about going pro but
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .

that wasn't really in my head until I was around 17 and had
finished the camp," he said. "Our high school team set all kinds
of records and as I moved on to college, I continued to work even
harder and to improve. The prospect of going to the NBA was
really a four-year process of mental and physical work."

DADDY TIME IS AMONG JONES'S
FAVORITE MOMENTS
Jones gets up most mornings by 4:45 a.m. and works out until
8. Then he prepares breakfast for his three children, gets them
off to school and returns to his training regiment. Unless he is
traveling, he is there to pick them up at the close of each school
day.
"I miss a lot of their growth because of my job and the amount
of traveling we have to do," he said. "Things like their first words,
learning to walk, using the bathroom by themselves and our
conversations have to be limited too. That means I watch them
grow up in spurts instead of progressively. But my wife keeps it
all together and for her and for me, basketball is what I do it's
not who I am."
Jones smiles when.he recalls meeting his wife while he was a
college star at Miami.
"She is from Barbados and so the whole celebrity thing as it re-
lates to athletes is foreign to her," he said. "She wasn't down with
the whole hype of athletics and I liked that because it gave me a
chance to just be myself."
As the child of parents who divorced, Jones says he learned
how to adjust to being part of a split family it was something
he never wanted his own children to experience.
"I really missed my father a lot those first couple of years but I
had great mentors the men and the women in my life. I had two
dads too. Still I was determined to make sure my children would
not have to feel the kind of emotional pain that I endured. In a
sense that has pushed me, to achieve so that my children have
their dad on a full time basis I wanted them to be with the man
that brought them into this world."

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE AND A QUICK
NOTE ABOUT ROLE MODELS
It has already been noted that Jones is not the typical NBA star
- at'least not according to the reports one sees or hears through
the traditional media outlets. But maybe Jones isn't an anomaly
after all. Perhaps there are more brothers like him whose stories
we simply do not know. Jones concurs.
"Among the Black players in the league with whom I have grown
close, many do come from broken homes and economically-chal-
lenged situations but they have grown to adapt to being on the
other side of the equation," he.said. "We are all works in progress
and I think most of the brothers know they have room for im-
provement in their lives I know I do. But you know how it goes
- for every five good guys you have one bad guy that becomes the
poster child."
As for being a role model for other children, Jones says he just
wants to be the best father than he can.
"You can either embrace or shun the spotlight," he said. "I have
just always believed that if you're going to do something you
should try to be the best. So, if my profession wants me to serve
as a role model, even though that is not one of my goals, I don't
mind playing that role sometimes. But I realize that I am truly,
blessed to still be playing at the top of my game in my eighth sea-
son in a sport where the average player only lasts for four years.
Financially I am in a good place right now. And when it's time to
hang up my sneakers, I will be ready. After all, I can then be a full
time dad."
Jones continues to shine on the court as the Miami Heat moves
closer to the NBA championship. He put on the mqves against the
76ers, particularly in last week's game three of their first-round
playoff series.

Miami Heat, win big or go home
By the time you read this, against the Miami Heat, win
Miami Heat fans should be or go home. The C's 'swept
eagerly anticipating the epic the hapless N.Y. Knicks 4-0
battle that even the NBA it- in the first round of the play-
self envisioned on opening offs and the Heat were well
night. The Boston Celtics on their way to dispatching

the Philadelphia 76ers. So we
thought we should offer some
thoughts on this series and
we begin with the question all
Heat fans want to know. Can
we beat these guys?
While the answer remains
to be seen, this much is clear,
the Heat's chances of winning
this series will ultimately de-
pend on how much they can
disrupt the Celtic spark plug,
known as Rajon Rondo. Yes,
we know all about the hall of
famers on that Celtic roster,
but Rondo, who may just be

in the preliminary stages of
writing his owh hall of fame
resume, is the engine that
makes the Celtic motor run.
While he struggled in the sec-
ond half of the regular sea-
son after the team traded his
.close friend Kendrick Perkins,
he was clearly dominant in
the opening round win over
the Knicks. Just the thought
of the Heat's less than stellar
point guards trying to keep up
with Rondo is enough to make
even the most optimistic Heat
fan cringe. But they must find

a way to slow him down. Ex-
pect Coach Eric Spoelstra to
feed the Celtic star a heavy
dose of LeBron James and
Dwyane Wade, hopefully their
size and strength can alter
his speed and quickness.
Miami's best bet is to stop
Rondo, limit his assists and
force him to beat you with
his shooting. On the other
end of the spectrum, the Heat
have to get Dwyane Wade go-
ing early and often. Wade has
struggled mightily with Bos-
ton this season, a team he

seemingly has his way with
a year ago in a losing playoff
effort.
These Celtics are an older,
crafty group of veterans who
will use whatever tactic they
must use to distract Miami's
trio of superstars. This series
will remind you of the intense
hatred that fueled the Heat-
Knicks in the 90's. Hopefully
though a more favorable out-
come for our beloved Heat. So
in the immortal words of Mi-
chael Buffer "Let's get ready
to rumble"

Out of the storm, a hero

Shaw University star lends hand

after tornado

By Eric Adelson

Faced with an emergency, a
lot of us run away. But some
of us run towvards. That's
what LaMichael Howell did
this week when a tornado
tore up his college campus.
Howell, a three-year cap-
tain of the Shaw University
football team in Raleigh,
N.C., was planning dinner
with friends in his off-cam-
pus apartment recently when
the power went out. Mo-
ments later, the lights came
back on and the news came

in a tornado had blown
through the area and done
catastrophic damage. Howell
decided to drive to campus
to see for himself. And he'll
never forget what he encoun-
tered.
"The student union was
a wreck," says the 23-year-
old senior. "Power lines were
down. I couldn't see. Every
turn you made, you had to
turn back around. Trees ev-
erywhere. Dumpsters turned
upside down."
No one at the school was
seriously hurt but several

dormitories were left unin-
habitable. Many of the 2,300
students enrolled in the
school, which is the oldest
historically-Black university
in the South, had no place to
sleep. Classes were eventu-
ally canceled for the rest of
the semester.
"It hurts," Howell said. "I've
been there for four years. It
really did something to me."
Howell sprung into action.
He went dorm-to-dorm, pick-
ing up friends and strang-
ers alike and ferrying them
to his tiny apartment. Back
and forth he went in his gray
Crown Victoria, asking who
needed help.
"I spent three years with
these people," he said. "I

L'

LaMichael How

emerges
gotta look out for them. I told
them, 'I won't eave you out
to dry.' "By the time it got
dark and impossible to drive,
Howell had 12 people at place
several of which he had
never met before. He hosted
them for two days, until they
could figure out a way to get
home. Howell shared his bed,
sleeping head-to-toe with a
teammate. He gave up his
4 pillow and an extra mattress,
Which he put on the floor. He
started a loop of his favorite
movies. And when everyone
woke up the next day, he
cooked bacon, eggs and bis-
cuits for 13.
LS At his Division II school,
Howell is a star, starting
fell all four years at cornerback

and leading the Bears to
three conference titles. In
2010, during an undefeated
7-0 conference run, Howell
had 35 tackles, 18 assists,
an interception and nine
pass breakups. But he will
likely be best remembered
for something he did after
his final game. Last week he
helped the last of his guests
move out of his apartment
and got ready to head back to
his hometown of Mobile, Ala.
He'll be back one more time
as a student, on May 7th,
when he graduates.
"To end my senior year this
way is bad," he said. "Shaw
means everything to me. It's
my school. It's me. I'm a part
of the university."